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CORRESPONDENCE 

OF 

WAGNER  AND  LISZT 

FROM 

1841  to  1861. 

TRANSLATED  INTO  ENGLISH  WITH  A  PREFACE  BY 

DR.    FRANCIS    HUEFFER. 


"These  letters  may,  without  hesitation,  be  classed  among  the  most 
important  documents  of  musical  biography  in  existence." — Times. 

"This  correspondence  is  a  weighty  contribution  to  the  store  of  valu- 
able literature,  dealing  with  what  is,, beyond  all  comparison,  the  most 
pregnant  and  important  period  in  the  development  of  musical  art. 
Nothing  more  instructive  with  regard  to  the  real  character  and  re- 
lations of  Liszt  and  Wagner  has  been  published.  Seldom  has  the 
force  and  fervour  of  Wagner's  German  been  rendered  with  such 
accuracy  and  character  in  a  strange  tongue." — Manchester  Guardian. 

"These  volumes,  valuable  as  they  are  in  illustrating  the  art 
philosophy  of  Wagner,  contain  many  references  to  contemporary 
musicians  and  musical  critics,  practical  hints  as  to  the  manner  in 
which  Wagner's  masterpieces  should  be  performed,  and  much  other 
matter  of  supreme  interest  to  musicians."—  The  Scotsman. 


NEW  YORK  :    SCRIBNER   &   WELFORD. 


RICHARD    WAGNER'S 
LETTERS 

TO    HTS 

DRESDEN   FRIENDS. 


RICHARD    WAGNER'S 
LETTERS 

TO    HIS 

DRESDEN     FRIENDS, 


THBODOR   UHLIG,    WILHBLM    FISCHER,    AND 
FERDINAND    HEINE. 


TRANSLATED  INTO  ENGLISH,    WITH  A    PREFAZE 

BV 

J.    S.    SHEDLOCK. 


AND  AN  ETCHING  OF  WAGNER  BY  C.  W.  SHERBORN. 


NEW    YORK: 
SCRIBNER    AND    WELFORD. 

1890. 


to 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 


SANTA  BARBARA  COLLEGE  LIBRA! 


PREFACE. 


r  I  ^HE  correspondence  of  Wagner  and  Liszt  com- 
menced in  1841  and  closed  in  1861  ;  in 
this  volume  the  letters  extend  from  1841  to  1868. 
Of  early  letters  there  are  only  a  few  ;  and  setting 
aside  these  and  the  last  written  to  Heine  from  Munich 
in  1868,  the  series  may  be  said  to  begin  in  1849 
and  to  close  in  1860.  This  represents  the  period 
of  exile  at  Zurich  ;  and  amid  much  that  is  familiar 
we  come  across  much  that  is  new.  Of  the  eventful 
visit  to  Paris  in  1850,  there  is  the  briefest  possible 
mention  in  a  letter  from  Wagner  to  Liszt ;  but  here 
in  letters  to  Uhlig  and  Heine  he  pours  out  his 
whole  soul,  and  tells  of  his  sorrows,  his  anger,  and 
his  despair.  The  picture  which  he  draws  of  himself 
is  indeed  a  striking  one.  The  Paris  failure,  however, 
as  Wagner  himself  fully  acknowledges,  resulted  in 
good.  He  returned  to  Switzerland,  and  soon  the 
whole  plan  of  the  Ring  dcs  Nibelungen  was  conceived. 
The  letter  in  which  he  describes  his  ambitious 
scheme  to  Liszt  bears  the  date  November  2oth, 
1851;  but  he  had  already  written  on  the  same 


VI  PREFACE. 

subject  to  Uhlig  a  week  before.     Then,  again,  there 
is  the  unfortunate  visit  to  London  in    1855.     The 
five  letters  addressed  to  Fischer  are  full  of  charac- 
teristic details.     These  subjects,  and  others  connected 
with   Wagner's  literary  works,   are   naturally  to   be 
found  in  both  correspondences  ;  and  it  may  be  that 
here  and  there  we  are  reminded  even  of  the  phrase- 
ology of  the  letters  to  Liszt.      But  the  differences  are 
greater  than  the  resemblances.      Liszt  showed  great 
sympathy  for  Wagner  as  a  man,  and  extraordinary 
enthusiasm  for  his  art-work  ;  and  this  sympathy  and 
enthusiasm  proved  indeed  powerful  bonds  of  union 
between    the  two.      But    Liszt   was  a  famous  man, 
and  Wagner  comparatively  unknown  ;  and  the  friend- 
ship  was   not   of   that   intimate    kind   which    is   so 
clearly  displayed  to  us  in  the  letters  to  Uhlig,  Fischer, 
and  in  particular  to  Heine.     And  in  other  important 
matters     Wagner    himself    tells    Uhlig    how    Liszt 
"  stands   apart    from    me   in    his   life    and    mode   of 
thought."      But  his   Dresden    friends  were   all   in   a 
comparatively  humble  station  of  life,  and  in  "  modes 
of  thought "  one  with  him.     The  letter  to  Wilhelm 
Fischer,  dated  November  2oth,  1849,  shows  clearly 
how  strong  was  the  bond  of  friendship  between  the 
four   men.      In   many  small,  and   perhaps  in   them- 
selves unimportant  details,  we  feel  the  difference  in 
the  style  of  writing.      Here  there  are  colloquialisms, 
strong  expressions,  jokes,  etc.,    such   as   are   not   to 


PREFACE.  Vii 

be  found  in  the  letters  to  Liszt.     There  are  details 

with    regard   to   Wagner   himself,   to    his    wife,    his 

home-life,  his  bird,  and  his  dog  which  tell  their  own 

story.      To  mention   only  one  small    instance.      To 

Liszt  he  writes  two  lines  about  the  death  of  his  "  dear 

little    parrot  ; "    but    to    Uhlig    a   whole   letter.       I 

would  specially  ask   readers  of  these  letters  not  to 

forget  their  specially  private   character ;    the   bitter 

remarks  about  certain  musicians  of  note,  the  violent 

denunciations  of  men   standing  in   high  places,  and 

the    liberty    of    speech    in    which    he    occasionally 

indulges    must  all  be  considered    privileged.     They 

evidently  were  never  intended  for  the  public  eye.     In 

a  certain  degree,  one  may  regret  the  publication  of 

such  letters  ;  there  is  a  tendency  to  pick  out  what 

is    objectionable   for  condemnation,  if   not   ridicule. 

The   good   and   the   bad    must,   however,   be   taken 

together.     To    have   both   put  before   us  is   in   one 

respect  a  great  advantage  ;  we  have  the  whole  man^ 

and  no  one-sided  representation. 

A  few  particulars  respecting  the  three  friends 
to  whom  these  letters  are  addressed  may  perhaps 
prove  welcome. 

Theodor  Uhlig,  who  began  at  an  early  age  to 
take  interest  in  music,  studied  composition  under 
Fr.  Schneider,  from  1837  to  1840.  In  1841  he 
became  a  member  of  the  Royal  Orchestra  at 
Dresden,  and  in  1852  leader  of  the  same.  He 


Vlll  PREFACE. 

was  an  accomplished  musician,  and  composed  over- 
tures, quartets,  trios,  songs,  etc.  He,  of  course, 
became  acquainted  with  Rienzi,  Flying  Dutchman, 
and  Tannhauser,  produced  at  Dresden  under 
Wagner's  direction  :  however,  up  to  the  year  i  847, 
he  was  not  in  sympathy  either  with  him  or  with  his 
art-views.  But  an  attentive  perusal  of  the  com- 
poser's "  Programme  "  to  the  Choral  Symphony,  and 
a  careful  examination  of  the  score  of  Tannhauser 
lent  to  him,  at  his  own  request,  by  Wagner,  brought 
about  a  revolution.  Uhlig  became  a  zealous  disciple 
and  firm  friend  of  the  master's ;  and  from  that 
time  down  to  his  last  day  (he  was  snatched  away 
by  death  on  January  3rd,  1853,  m  tne  thirty-first 
year  of  his  age)  he  devoted  to  him  his  time  and  his 
talents.  Like  Liszt,  Uhlig  found  Wagner  at  times 
difficult  to  get  on  with  ;  and  in  the  letters  before 
us  we  find  that  on  one  or  two  occasions  a  rupture 
seemed  imminent.  In  one  letter  Wagner  writes  : 
"  Truly,  in  our  intercourse,  if  one  of  us  two  need 
to  make  apology,  it  is  I,  once  and  always.  Pay 
no  attention,  if  now  and  then  something  in  my 
letters  vexes  you.  Unfortunately,  I  am  often  in 
such  bitter  humour,  that  it  almost  affords  me  a  cruel 
relief  to  offend  some  one  ;  this  is  a  calamity  which 
only  makes  me  the  more  deserving  of  pity."  Uhlig, 
like  Liszt,  made  allowances  for  genius.  We  learn 
from  a  letter  written  by  Wagner  to  Liszt,  dated 


PREFACE.  IX 

July  I  ith,  1851,  how  much  he  valued  the  friendship 
of  Uhlig.  Speaking  of  him  he  says :  "  Thus  I 
gained  a  friend,  who  subsequently  from  a  distance 
made  it  the  task  of  his  life,  as  far  as  his  power 
extended,  to  serve  me  in  a  manner  which — the 
inclination  being  equal  in  both  cases — has  been 
surpassed  only  by  your  brilliant  genius."  After 
Uhlig  had  become  acquainted  with  Wagner,  he 
abandoned  composition  and  took  to  literary  work. 
He  was  one  of  the  most  industrious  contributors  to 
the  Neue  Zeitschrift  filr  Musik  ;  and  the  obituary 
notice  by  J.  Ruhlmann  in  1853  shows  how  highly 
his  services  were  valued.  Besides  articles  on 
Wagner's  operas  and  pamphlets,  he  wrote  a  series 
of  articles  on  the  Beethoven  Symphonies,  and 
another  series  entitled  Lesefriichte  anf  dein  Felde  der 
musikalischen  Literatur. 

Wilhelm  Fischer,  who  was  born  about  the  year 
1790,  was  connected  with  the  opera  at  Magdeburg 
and  Leipzig ;  in  the  latter  city  he  appeared  as  a 
buffo  bass  singer.  He  went  to  Dresden  in  1831, 
and  became  stage-manager  and  chorus-master  at 
the  theatre.  In  December  1840,  Wagner,  who 
was  in  Paris,  sent  the  score  of  Rienzi  to  Herr  v. 
Liittichau,  the  Intendant  The  first  of  the  letters 
to  Fischer  is  dated  September  /th,  [841,  and  refers 
to  the  acceptance  of  that  opera  by  the  management. 
From  that  letter  it  appears  that  Wagner  was  not 


X  PREFACE. 

personally  known  to  him  then.  They  met  in  the 
following  year  ;  and  from  that  time  down  to  Fischer's 
death  in  November  1859  they  were  on  excellent 
terms.  In  an  obituary  notice  of  his  old  friend, 
Wagner  speaks  of  the  consolation  of  knowing  that 
such  beings  exist,  of  the  happiness  of  meeting  such 
a  man  on  one's  path. 

Ferdinand  Heine  was  a  comedian  engaged  at  the 
Dresden  Court  Theatre,  and  also  a  designer  of  the 
costumes.  The  first  letter  addressed  to  him  by 
Wagner  is  dated  1841,  and  the  last  1868.  In  this 
collection  there  are  only  twenty-six  ;  so  that  it  is 
natural  to  suppose  that  many  have  got  lost.  The 
"  highly  honoured  Herr  Heine  "  changed  to  "  dear  old 
friend  "  soon  after  they  came  to  know  each  other,  and 
then  he  was  addressed  as  Heinemdnnel,  Nante,  etc. 
In  his  third  letter  Wagner  claims  the  right  of  family 
friendship,  in  that  Heine  was  a  friend  of  his  father's. 
In  the  letters  there  are  many  references  to  Wilhelm 
Heine,  the  son,  and  to  America  and  Japan.  This 
talented  son,  born  in  1827,  went  to  New  York  in 
1849,  and  became  known  there  as  a  painter.  He 
was  artist  of  the  expedition  of  the  American  squadron 
to  the  China  Seas  and  Japan  during  the  years  1852, 
1853,  and  1854,  under  the  command  of  Commodore 
Perry,  and  he  is  twice  mentioned  in  the  official 
narrative  of  the  expedition.  In  1856  he  published 
his  Rcise  inn  die  Erde  nacJi  Japan,  and  between 


PREFACE.  XI 

1873  and  1880  his  great  work  Japan,  Beitrage 
znr  Kenntnis  des  Landes  und  seiner  Bewohner. 
Wilhelm  Heine  died  in  1885. 

The  hurried  and  at  times  careless  manner  in 
which  many  of  these  letters  were  written,  sentences 
apparently  having  been  put  on  paper  as  fast  as  pen 
could  write  ;  the  constant  references  to  persons  and 
things  which,  with  time,  have  lost  their  meaning;  the 
fact  that  there  are  no  answers  to  the  letters,  as  in 
the  Wagner-Liszt  correspondence,  to  throw  a  light 
on  questions  or  doubtful  passages ;  and  the  col- 
loquialisms so  plentifully  scattered  through  the 
letters,- — all  these  things  have  rendered  the  translator's 
task  one  of  exceptional  difficulty  ;  and  as  Wagner 
asked  of  Fischer  with  regard  to  Riensi,  so  I  too 
would  ask  of  my  readers — indulgence  and  patience. 
An  attempt  has  been  made  to  reproduce  the  style 
of  the  original  ;  and  the  question  is  not  how  far  it 
reads  as  clear  or  good  English,  but  how  far  it 
preserves  the  spirit  of  the  original.  I  beg  publicly 
to  express  my  thanks  to  Messrs.  Grevel  &  Co.,  the 
publishers,  for  their  assistance  with  regard  to  the 
Saxon  idioms  and  even  slang,  and  to  Mr.  W.  Ashton 
Ellis  (editor  of  the  Wagnerian  quarterly,  The  Meister\ 
for  valuable  aid  and  many  useful  suggestions,  as  well 
as  for  the  preparation  of  a  comprehensive  Index, 

J.  S.  SHEDLOCK. 


LETTERS 

TO 

THEODOR    UHLIG, 
1849—1853. 


LETTERS    TO    THEODOR    UHLIG. 

1849—1853. 


i. 

DEAR  FRIEND, 

Every  now  and  then  I  feel  anxious  about  you  : 
how  are  you,  are  you  well,  and  have  you  experienced 
no  reactionary  unpleasantnesses  ?  There  are  some 
friends,  very  few,  for  whose  sake  I  often  think  of 
Dresden :  among  other  things  I  have  a  warm  remem- 
brance of  a  passionate  Beethoven  Symphony,  and  then 
I  am  transported  with  delight  and  affection  back  again, 
in  thought,  amongst  the  Royal  Musicians  ;  yet  I  must 
frankly  confess  that  the  freedom  which  I  here  inhale  in 
fresh  Alpine  draughts  is  intensely  pleasing  to  me.  What 
is  the  ordinary  care  about  the  so-called  future  of 
citizen  life  compared  with  the  feeling  that  we  are  not 
tyrannized  over  in  our  noblest  aims  ?  How  few  men 
care  more  for  themselves  than  for  their  stomachs  ! 
Now  I  have  made  my  choice,  and  am  spared  the  trouble 
of  choosing  ;  so  I  feel  free  in  my  innermost  soul,  and 
can  despise  what  torments  me  from  without ;  no  one 
can  withdraw  himself  from  the  evil  influences  of  the 
civilized  barbarism  of  our  time,  but  all  can  so  manage 
that  they  do  not  rule  over  our  better  self. 

I 


2  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

My  friend  Liszt,  with  devilish  impetuosity,  wishes 
me  to  write  an  opera  for  Paris :  I  have  been  there  and 
arranged  with  a  certain  poet  to  furnish  him  with  the 
complete  sketch  of  an  opera  libretto,  while  he  under- 
takes the  execution  of  the  same  in  French,  and  to 
see  about  a  commission  for  me  from  the  Grand  Opera 
to  write  the  music  (excuse  me,  I  have  not  expressed 
myself  very  clearly).  Now,  besides  my  Siegfried,  I  have 
in  my  head  two  tragic  and  two  comic  subjects,  but  not 
one  of  them  would  suit  the  French  stage :  I  have  also 
a  fifth,  and  I  care  not  in  what  language  it  is  presented 
to  the  world — Jesus  of  Nazareth.  I  think  of  offering 
this  subject  to  the  Frenchman,  and  hope  thus  to  be  rid 
of  the  whole  matter,  for  I  can  guess  the  dismay  which 
this  poem  will  cause  to  my  associc.  If  he  have  the 
courage  to  hold  up  against  the  thousand  conflicts  which 
the  proposition  to  treat  such  a  subject  for  the  theatre' will 
cause,  I  shall  look  upon  it  as  fate  and  set  to  work.  If 
he  abandon  me,  all  the  better  :  I  am  then  freed  from 
all  temptation  to  work  in  the  hateful  jabbering  language  ; 
for  with  my  disposition,  you  can  easily  imagine  that 
only  with  the  greatest  repugnance  should  I  set  to  work 
on  such  a  mishmash  :  if  I  do,  it  will  be  out  of  con- 
sideration for  my  creditors,  to  whom  I  should  make 
over  the  French  fees. 

Into  what  good  humour  the  sight  of  the  Parisian 
art-economy  has  put  me  again,  you  will  shortly  see  in 
an  important  article  of  mine  in  the  National,  "  Art  and 
Revolution,"  which  I  believe  will  appear  in  German 
at  Wigand's  in  Leipzig.  I  am  living  here — helped  in 
communistic  fashion  by  Liszt — in  good  spirits,  and  I 
may  say  prosperously,  according  to  my  best  nature  :  my 


TO    UHLIG.  3 

only  and  great  anxiety  is  about  my  poor  wife,  whom  I 
am  expecting  here  very  shortly.  To  my  very  great 
astonishment,  I  find  that  I  am  a  celebrity  here  ;  made  so 
indeed,  by  means  of  the  piano  scores  of  all  my  operas,  out 
of  which  whole  acts  are  repeatedly  performed  at  concerts 
and  at  choral  unions.  At  the  beginning  of  the  winter  I 
shall  go  again  to  Paris  to  have  something  performed 
and  to  put  my  opera  matter  into  order.  You  cannot 
imagine  what  joy  one  finds  in  frugality  if  one  knows 
that  thereby  the  noblest  thing,  freedom,  is  assured 
You  know  how  long  I  was  brewing  in  my  blood  the 
Dresden  catastrophe,  only  I  had  no  presentiment  of  the 
exact  hurricane  which  would  drive  me  thence;  but  you  are 
thoroughly  convinced  that  all  the  amnesties  and  restitu- 
tions in  the  world  would  not  induce  me  to  become  again 
what,  to  my  greatest  sorrow,  I  was  in  Dresden.  I  have 
just  a  last  remnant  of  curiosity,  howrever,  and  you  would 
give  me  much  pleasure  in  letting  me  know  how  matters 
stand  with  you.  My  wife  has  never  found  leisure  to  give 
me  news  of  Dresden,  the  theatre,  and  the  band.  Do 
relieve  this  last  Dresden  longing.  Do  you  happen  to 
know  anything  definite  about  the  state  of  the  police 
inquiry  ?  The  fate  of  Heubner,  Rockel,  and  Bakunin, 
troubles  me  much.  Anyhow,  these  persons  ought  not 
to  be  imprisoned.  But  don't  let  me  speak  of  it !  In 
this  matter  one  can  only  judge  justly  and  adequately  if 
one  looks  at  the  period  from  a  lofty  point  of  view. 
Woe  to  him  who  acts  with  sublime  purpose,  and  then, 
for  his  deeds,  is  judged  by  the  police  !  It  is  a  grief  and 
a  shame  which  only  our  times  can  show. 

Yesterday,  at  length,  I  received  my  scores  :  I  looked 
through  a  little  of  Lohengrin  at  the  piano,  and  cannct 


4  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

describe  to  you  what  a  powerful  effect  this  my  work 
produced  on  me !  Now  I  come  to  a  favour  which  I 
have  to  ask  of  you.  At  my  request  you  at  once  under- 
took to  prepare,  at  your  leisure,  the  piano  score  of  this 
opera.  To  you,  and  especially  to  me,  it  must  be  most 
unpleasant  to  find  that  this  work  is  interrupted.  If  you 
are  still  of  the  same  mind,  and  are  willing  to  continue  to 
place  me  under  obligation  (always  on  the  understanding 
that  you  will  be  compensated  for  your  trouble  by  the 
future  publisher  of  the  opera),  I  beg  you  to  get  the 
score  from  the  Dresden  theatre  in  order  to  continue 
the  piano  version.  Ask  the  chorus  master,  Fischer,  in 
my  name,  to  apply  for  the  score  for  himself,  in  order  to 
hand  it  over  to  you.  For  that  purpose  I  enclose  a  few 
lines  to  Fischer,  which  I  beg  you  will  forward  to  him 
at  once. 

Now  farewell,  and  let's  hope  we  shall  meet  once 
again.  If  I  should  hear  of  any  post  likely  to  suit  you 
in  Switzerland,  shall  I  tell  you  of  it  ?  This  Switzer- 
land, with  its  nature,  its  air,  makes  the  most  miserable 
man  well  and  happy.  I  should  like  to  bestow  it  on 
every  one  whom  I  love,  even  upon  L. 

Salute  the  few  friends  in  the  band  who  are  yet 
willing  to  receive  a  salutation  from  me :  among  them  I 
may  probably  reckon  Horack.  Salute  Milller  and  H., 
also  young  Fiirstenau.  I  rejoice  that  on  that  most  fatal 
Tuesday  evening,  when  I  came  once  more  to  the  Town 
Hall,  it  was  in  my  power  to  render  a  good  service  to 
Fiarstenau  :  probably  he  is  not  aware  that  without  me 
it  would  have  fared  badly  with  him. 

Tell  Eisold  I  cannot  come  again  tc-morrow  to  the 
rehearsal  of  Martha;  he  should  engage  Rockel  in  my 


TO    UHLIG.  5 

place.  I  am  curious  to  know  in  what  way  Tietze  will 
manage  to  reconcile  me  with  the  Princess  A. ;  but  I 
do  not  despair  of  his  genius  yet  succeeding  ;  on  this, 
indeed,  rests  my  whole  hope  for  this  life.  But  the  man 
was  an  excellent  double-bass  player. 

Again  greetings  in  my  name ;  for  example,  to  Schlick. 
But,  above  all,  delight  me  by  sending  a  really  long 
letter. 

Once  more  farewell,  and  remain  good  to  me. 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 
ZURICH,  August  gf/i,  '49. 

Address  to  Mr.  Alexander  Miiller,  Professor  of  Music 
at  Zurich. 

2. 

MOST   WORTHY    FRIEND,    AND   STILL    ROYAL 

CHAMBER  MUSICIAN  ! 

First  of  all  receive  this  flattering  title  as  a  fiery 
coal  for  the  depressing  "  Ex-J£apetl-Meister." 

Then  let  me  thank  you  for  your  excellent  letter. 
I  am  also  indebted  to  you,  namely,  for  the  uncommon 
amount  of  time  which  you  must  have  withdrawn 
from  your  deep  speculations  about  the  nature  of 
three-four  time.  You  hold  to  me  with  a  faith  and 
devotion,  of  which,  for  state  reasons,  high  traitors 
are  unworthy.  Though  you  try  to  reconcile  this  with 
your  royal  Saxon  conscience,  my  human  political 
phantasy  declares  you  free  from  fault,  and  so  praises 
you  heartily. 

I  have  read  through  the  letter  several  times,  and 
your  true  nature,  as  therein  revealed,  has  afforded 


6  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

me  special  joy.  Ponder  over  your  character,  your 
knowledge,  painfully  acquired,  yet,  on  that  account, 
more  solid,  your  capabilities,  and  your  powers  of  per- 
formance, etc.,  and  compare  them  with  your  position 
and  employment,  etc.  Do,  I  say,  ponder  over  the 
legitimate  condition  of  our  art  and  life  relationships ; 
and  then,  without  attending  university  lectures,  you 
will  sufficiently  recognize  that  the  good  God  of  the 
existing  Christian  and  political  social  organization  is 
a  grand  affair,  but  that  royal  bands  are  not  bad 
either. 

Your  letter  is  so  full  that  I  cannot  possibly  answer 
it ;  I  therefore  write  you,  for  reply,  a  new,  if  shorter 
one.  God  knows  how  it  is  that  I  cannot  become  quite 
sad.  As  my  wife  is  now  with  me,  and  as  for  the 
coming  months  I  can  be  without  anxiety  as  to  my 
means  of  existence,  I  feel  as  jolly  and  as  comfortably 
disposed  as  a  dog  who  has  got  over  a  whipping.  But 
I  have  not  yet  got  back  into  working  order.  Next 
week  we  shall  go  into  a  small  house  in  which  I  shall 
have  a  special  room  for  work :  up  to  now  I  have  only 
been  able  to  sit  down  and  scribble  in  a  coffee-room, 
and  this  circumstance  explains  how  I  have  been  able 
to  satisfy  your  request,  and  get  my  Wibelistic 
article  ready  for  publication.  While  copying  I  re- 
wrote much,  so  that  you  may  find  it  interesting  to 
compare  the  enclosed  manuscript  with  the  old  version ; 
and  I  would  specially  call  your  attention  to  the  third 
section  of  the  Wtbelungen,  and  then  also  to  the  twelfth, 
dealing  with  "real  property,"  in  which  you  will  meet 
with  a  rich  use  of  the  material. 

I    send   you   this   little   work  with   the   request   to 


TO    UHLIG.  7 

forward  it  with  enclosed  letter  to  the  publisher  Wigand 
in  Leipzig :  the  expense  of  sending  it  will,  I  hope,  not 
be  ruinous,  yet  I  advise  you,  in  case  of  necessity,  to 
arrange  for  a  subscription  from  the  radical  members 
of  the  band. 

Wigand  is  already  publishing  a  pamphlet  of  mine, 
Art  and  Revolution :  of  its  French  fate  in  the  National, 
I  have,  as  yet,  learnt  nothing.  Get  this  little  work  as 
soon  as  it  appears  :  it  will  be  only  a  precursor — as  soon 
as  I  set  to  work  again  I  shall  follow  it  up  by  one  of 
greater  detail,  The  Art-work  of  the  Future ;  to  which, 
afterwards  a  third,  The  Artists  of  the  Future,  will  form 
the  conclusion.  I  will  not  give  you  at  random  a  notice 
of  the  contents  of  these  writings ;  it  must  not  be  done 
in  a  rough,  but  in  a  really  complete,  way. 

It  is  most  essential  that  I  should  accomplish  this 
work  and  send  it  into  the  world  before  going  on  with 
my  immediate  artistic  productions.  I  must  come  my- 
self, and  those  who  are  interested  in  my  artistic  being 
must  come  with  me  to  a  clear  understanding  ;  else  shall 
we  for  ever  grope  about  in  hateful  twilight,  which  is 
worse  than  absolute  darkness  in  which  one  sees  nothing 
and  only  religiously  clutches  hold  of  the  old-accustomed 
balustrade. 

If  I  accomplish  this  to  my  satisfaction,  I  shall  then 
set  to  work  at  the  music  of  my  Siegfried;  for  that 
is  what  I  yearn  after,  with  all  my  soul's  sincerity. 
Equally  sincerely  do  I  desire  to  escape  from  the  Parisian 
opera  scheme  into  which  I  so  unwillingly  entered. 
Compelled  from  the  commencement  to  think  of  gain,  I 
naturally  entertained  the  idea,  and  let  events  take  their 
course.  And  so  now,  as  I  have  already  told  you,  I 


8  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

am  placed  in  the  droll  dilemma  of  deciding  between 
Parisian  help  really  offered,  and  my  inmost  aversion. 
The  report  that  I  am  writing  an  opera  for  Paris  does 
not  make  my  decision  a  matter  of  difficulty,  although, 
not  to  appear  a  bragger,  I  should  certainly  like  to  con- 
firm it ;  but  consideration  for  my  wife,  who  really  is 
somewhat  of  a  bragger,  and  against  whose  practical 
common  sense  I  may  have  to  fight  hard,  if  I  have  to  tell 
her  the  plain  truth,  viz.,  that  I  will  not  write  an  opera  for 
Paris.  Were  this  matter  not  in  many  ways  connected 
with  my  prospects  of  subsistence,  she  would  shake  her 
head,  but  give  way.  There's  the  critical  knot,  which  I 
can  only  cut  through  with  great  pain.  Already  my  wife 
is  ashamed  of  our  stay  in  Zurich,  and  thinks  we  ought 
to  make  every  one  believe  that  we  are  in  Paris. 

You  see,  dear  friend,  it  is  such  trifles  as  conven- 
tional fame-seeking  and  anxiety  for  daily  bread  which 
threaten  to  exert — and  in  a  decisive  manner — their 
august  modern,  sovereignty  over  the  true,  free  sphere 
of  man's  art.  But  can  there  be  a  choice  here  ?  Certainly 
not,  not  even  if  persons  like  you  begin  to  be  prudent 
and  practical.  I  will  be  happy,  and  a  man  can  only  be 
that  if  he  is  free ;  but  that  man  only  is  free  who  is  what 
he  can,  and  therefore  must  be.  Whoever,  therefore, 
satisfies  the  inner  necessity  of  his  being,  is  free ; 
because  he  feels  himself  at  one  with  himself,  because 
everything  which  he  does  answers  to  his  nature,  to  his 
true  needs.  Whoever  follows  a  necessity,  not  from 
within  but  from  without,  is  subject  to  compulsion ;  he  is 
not  free,  but  an  unfortunate  slave.  The  free  man  laughs 
at  oppression  from  without  if  only  inner  necessity  be 
not  sacrificed  to  it :  it  can  cause  only  fly-stings,  not 


TO    UHLIG.  9 

heart-wounds.  I  don't  care  what  happens  to  me,  if 
only  I  become  what,  according  to  my  nature,  I  ought 
to  become.  So  shall  I  be  right,  even  if  no  idler  take 
notice  of  me. 

Apropos  !  If  you  know  any  persons  who  would  give 
me  as  much  per  year  as  would  satisfy  my  wants,  in 
exchange  for  all  that  I  may  do  during  my  life,  in  the 
way  of  writing  poetry  and  music,  please  give  them  my 
address.  Without  this  help  I  can  do  nothing. 

I  have  scarcely  anything  more  to  write  to  you,  for  I 
have  already  chattered  the  best  part ;  so  I  will  finish, 
at  any  rate,  about  myself. 

The  little  troop  of  my  Dresden  friends,  of  whom  you 
send  me  news,  gives  me  endless  joy.  How  far  above 
difference  of  character,  capability,  order  and  prospects 
of  life  is  the  one  sure  feeling  of  love,  which  all  govern- 
ment and  society  are  giving  themselves  so  much  trouble 
to  root  out !  It  makes  me  happy,  and  I  can  love  not 
only  this  man,  but  all  men,  if  even  the  roughest  fellow 
salutes  me  in  a  friendly  way — as  my  wife  says 
to  me. 

Salute,  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart,  the  friends 
whom  you  have  named  to  me,  and  do  not  forget  X. 

But  say  specially  to  H.,  from  me,  that  if  I  do  not 
write  specially  to  him  this  time,  this  among  other 
things  may  make  him  disposed  to  excuse  me — that  I 
presume  you  will  let  him  see  this  letter.  I  am  also 
superhumanly  indebted  to  him  in  that  he  behaves  in  so 
silent,  tender,  and  noble  a  manner  with  regard  to  a  loan, 
which  sum  I  formerly  spent  in  publishing  my  operas ; 
and  which,  considering  his  modest  means,  was  not  so 
easy  for  him  to  dispense  with.  Thank  him  for  it  in 


10  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

my  name.     A  thing  of  this  kind  is  of  great  value,  and 
truly  I  don't  ignore  it. 

Farewell !  Salute  my  friends  once  more,  and  let  me 
soon  have  fresh  news.  Write  often  to  me,  and  do  not 
trouble  about  the  postage  :  I  will  make  up  for  it  out 
of  something  else  !  I  shall  soon  have  your  article  here 
to  read.  Adieu ! 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

ZURICH,  September  i6th,  '49. 

My  address  is  always  : — "  Alexander  Miiller,  Prof, 
d.  Musik." 

I  have  requested  Wigand,  in  the  enclosed  letter,  if 
he  does  not  print  the  Wibelungen  MS.,  or  give  it  to 
another  publisher,  to  send  it  back  to  you  to  Dresden. 
In  case  you  get  it  back  I  would  trouble  you  to  get  as 
good  a  publisher  as  possible. 

Please  see  the  enclosed  letter  through  the  town  post, 
pre-paid. 

September  igth. 

After  further  inquiry  I  learn  no\v  that  this  packet — 
originally  the  Wibelungen  MS.  which  I  intended  sending 
by  parcel  post — must  contain  no  real  letter.  I  there- 
fore give  you  the  enclosed  letters  unclosed  and  unsealed, 
with  the  request  that  you  will  close  and  seal  them  for 
me,  so  that  each  one  may  think  he  is  receiving  an 
absolute  secret.  For  the  money  spent  on  sealing-wax 
or  wafers  kindly  reimburse  yourself  out  of  the  proceeds 
of  the  enclosed  waste-paper,  as  well  as  from  the  fuel  of 
the  enclosed  conductor's  stick,  of  the  Spontini  kind, 
which  you  might  perhaps  even  sell  to  Engelmann  as  a 
truncheon  for  the  commander  in  Don  Juan. 


TO    UHLIG.  I  I 

3- 
DEAR  FRIEND, 

You  cause  me  great  anxiety  !  First  of  all  you 
send  me  an  immense  letter  to  open,  which  must  have 
cost  you  at  least  the  half  of  your  month's  salary ;  and 
then  you  give  me  such  unheard-of  things  to  read 
about  as  the  story  of  the  piano  score  of  Lohengrin ! 
Seriously — at  least  in  what  concerns  this  last  miracle — 
I  beg  of  you  for  no  one's  sake,  not  even  mine,  to 
expose  yourself  to  such  enormous  fatigues ;  for  such 
forced  undertakings  are  of  this  kind,  and  health  has  to 
pay  a  heavy  penalty.  At  the  present  moment  I  can 
confirm  this  in  a  striking  manner.  For  the  last  fortnight, 
i.e.,  since  I  have  settled  down  quietly  in  my  home,  I 
have  been  seized  with  a  furious  desire  to  produce  a 
new  literary  composition,  The  Art-work  of  the  Future; 
and  to  so  great  an  extent,  that  even  to-day  I  grudge 
the  time  to  write  in  an  orderly  way  to  you  or  to  my 
other  Dresden  friends,  although  I  have  much  to  say. 

Already,  on  receipt  of  your  last  letter,  I  did  not  care 
to  write  again  until  I  had  quite  finished  with  my  new 
work,  which  I  should  then  have  sent  with  my  answer  :  a 
notice  which  I  give  you,  but  not  as  a  letter — which  I 
still  owe  you — but  only  as  a  notice. 

Through  you  I  learn  that  Wigand  has  written  to  me. 
I  point  out  to  you  thereupon  that  I  have  not  caught 
sight  of  a  line  from  him,  not  even  a  copy  of  my 
pamphlet,  which  I  had  begged  of  him.  As,  therefore,  I 
do  not  know  how  it  will  fare  with  my  letter  to  Wigand 
— rwhich  I  send  direct  to  Leipzig,  as  I  did  a  fortnight 
ago — I  prefer  to  entreat  you  to  tell  Wigand  that  I  have 
received  no  letter  from  him ;  and  therefore  I  would 


12  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

request  him,  if  he  desires  to  send  me  news  with  safety,  to 
do  it  through  you  or  Heine-';  as,  up  to  now,  I  have 
always  received  my  letters  from  Dresden.  You  your- 
self please  address  letters  to  me  for  the  future  in  the 
following  way  : — 

an  FRAULEIN  NATALIE  PLANER, 

am  Zeltwege,  in  den  hinteren  Escherhausern, 
No.  182  parterre, 

Hottingen,  bei  Zurich. 

The  person  addressed  is,  in  fact,  my  sister-in-law,  who, 
with  my  wife,  lives  here.  I  hope  this  name  will  appear 
innocent  to  the  police,  although,  through  violation  of 
letter  secrecy,  we  have  only  to  fear  delay  and  uncer- 
tainty ;  but  in  no  way  the  discovery  of  God  knows  what 
conspiracy ! 

In  my  new  work  I  have  had  to  express  my  thoughts 
in  an  exhaustive  manner,  but  the  subject  having  once  been 
broached  in  my  pamphlet,  this  could  not  well  be  helped. 
Nevertheless  it  leaves,  for  example  to  you,  still  an  enor- 
mous lot  to  do ;  as  I,  in  grasping  the  theme  which  I  placed 
before  myself,  could  only  draw  in  very  broad  strokes. 
Wigand  must  really  publish  this  little  work  for  me.  I 
hoped  to  be  able  to  send  it  off  by  the  end  of  November. 
Anyhow,  it  is  getting  almost  three  times  as  thick  as  the 
first  pamphlet,  but  I  confidently  hope  that  the  interest 
which  it  will  create  will  not  be  that  of  a  passing  day,  but  a 
lasting  interest,  substantial  and  suggestive.  How  shall 
I  set  to  work  to  get  him  to  pay  me  properly  for  it  ? 

My  head  is  all  a-fire  from  dealing  with  so  many 
principles  of  art — it  is  impossible  to  write  any  more 
to-day !  So  please  don't  be  angry  with  me. 


TO    UHLIG.  13 

As  soon  as  I  have  quite  finished,  I  will  write  proper 
letters  again — even  such  as  Fiirstenau  wishes,  whom  I 
beg  you  to  greet  heartily  and  to  thank. 

Kindly  see  to  enclosed,  about  which  I  am  also 
anxious. 

In  short,  accept  my  best  thanks  for  your  last  excellent 
letter,  and  for  the  fresh  proof  of  friendship  towards 
me  contained  in  it  !  I  shall  shortly  have  much  to  write 
in  reply. 

Salute  also  young  R.  from  me,  if  he  happen  to  be  in 
Dresden  ! 

But  come,  farewell  !  I  am  done  up,  and  must  get 
into  the  open  air  :  Peps  won't  leave  me  any  more  in 
peace  !  Farewell,  dear  Uhlig. 

ZURICH,  October  26th,  '49. 

4- 
DEAR  FRIEND, 

Here  follows  once  more  a  whole  load.  Don't 
be  angry  if  it  overburdens  you.  I  thought  you  would 
like  to  look  through  my  new  work  before  it  came, 
in  ceremonious  fashion,  before  the  world  :  so  read  it 
and  communicate  with  Heine,  so  that  we  may  lose  as 
little  time  as  possible  with  it :  you  might  read  half  and 
communicate  to  Heine  the  first  half  read,  while  you  go 
on  with  the  second.  Then  I  beg  you  to  send  the  manu- 
script to  young  R.  at  Leipzig  :  he  might  read  it  quickly 
through  and  afterwards  deliver  it,  with  the  letter,  to 
Wigand.  The  treatise,  as  you  see,  has  become  some- 
what bulky  :  if  on  certain  points  I  have  not  been  con- 
cise, on  the  other  hand  I  have  been  compelled  to  leave 
much  unnoticed — I  hope,  however,  only  what  is  not  of 


14  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

characteristic  importance.  Now  you  have  it  in  your 
hand  ;  read  it,  and  you  will  see  best  for  yourself !  I 
am  not  inclined  to  make  any  changes.  One  must  not 
question  a  thing  once  out :  excellencies  and  defects,  for  the 
most  part,  stand  in  proper  relationship  to  one  another. 

As  in  this  writing  I  communicate  to  you  my  whole 
history  up  to  the  present  day,  I  find  it  almost  unneces- 
sary to  write  much  besides  to  you.     But  I  consider  it 
specially   necessary   to   thank    you    heartily    for  your 
letters ;  in  respect  to  which,  however,  I  always  regret 
that  3Tour  money-bag  is  really  becoming  the  victim  of 
enormous  postages — as,  for  example,  the  time  before 
last.     Do  be  more  prudent.     From  your  last  letter  I 
perceive  particularly  your  anxiety  to  obtain  favourable 
notices  of  my  literary  works.     Do  not  trouble  so  much 
about  them.     Only  one  thing  is  important — that  they 
be  read  as  much  as  possible ;  and  what  will  tend  to 
this  pleases  me.     That  they  should  be  attacked  is  quite 
natural,  and  a  matter  of  indifference  to  me.     I  bring  no 
reconciliation   to  worthlessness,  but  war  to  the   knife. 
Now  as  our  public   life  is   full  of  worthlessness,   and 
specially  so   with  regard    to   professional   artists   and 
literary  men,  I  can  in  this  present  time  only  find  friends 
among  those  who  are  quite  removed  from  this  ruling 
publicity.      Here  there  is  nothing  to  convince,  to  win 
over :  extermination  is  the  only  cure.     To  accomplish 
this  in  time',  we  shall   receive  the  necessary  strength 
if,  as  disciples  of  a  new    religion,   we  learn    to    know 
ourselves,  and  by    mutual   love  strengthen    our  faith. 
Let  us  stick  fast  to  youth  ;  let  old  age  kick  the  bucket, 
there  is  nothing  to  be  got  from  it. 

This  will  have  been  my  last  literary  work.     There 


TO    UHLIG.  1  5 

would  be  much  to  look  over  again,  as  I,  for  the  most 
part,  only  traced  general  outlines.  If  I  had  to  do  this 
alone,  it  would  only  be  a  proof  that  I  had  not  discovered 
the  right.  If  that  be  so,  nothing  further  is  of  any  avail ; 
but  if  I  have  been  understood,  and  if  I  have  convinced 
others — even  if  few  in  number — others  must  and  will 
make  everything  complete  in  the  matter.  That  is  the 
work  of  many,  not  of  one.  I  count  particularly  on  you. 

I  have  not  yet  received  anything  from  Wigand.  I  have 
not  yet  been  able  to  get  even  a  copy  of  my  pamphlet : 
yet  at  the  bookseller's  shop  I  am  assured  that  a  parcel 
for  me  has  been  advised.  Only  I  happened  once  to  turn 
over  the  leaves  of  somebody  else's  copy  of  Art  and  Revo- 
lution, and  soon  found,  to  my  distress,  many  misprints. 
Conformably  to  our  pedantic  custom,  I  have  written 
certain  words  in  my  new  manuscript  in  capital  letters, 
in  order — especially  in  the  philosophical  part — to  avoid 
compositors'  mistakes  :  but  I  beg  Wigand,  nevertheless, 
perhaps  to  send  it  to  you  for  correction,  and  I  am  sure, 
with  your  great  conscientiousness,  to  be  well  guarded 
against  misprints. 

Your  news  always  interests  me ;  but  in  order  to 
spare  you,  and  to  draw  your  attention  only  to  what 
appears  most  important  to  you,  I  let  you  know  that 
through  the  papers  we  get  pretty  exact  news  of  political 
events  in  our  dear  home.  Not  so  about  the  everlast- 
ing art-movement  :  but  even  newspapers  I  intentionally 
seldom  read.  These  things  become  to  me  more  foreign 
and  indifferent  every  day. 

I  ought  long  ago  to  have  received  the  musical  paper : 
the  person  who  promised  it  continues  to  dilly-dally.  I 
will  very  soon  add  fuel  to  flame. 


1 6  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

I  am  not  in  such  good  humour  as  last  summer  ; 
autumn  and  winter  are  not  my  friends.  Besides,  there 
are  the  cares  of  life — this  is  the  name,  you  know,  for 
money  worries.  I  cannot  think  of  earnings,  and  I  have 
lost  all  hope  of  support.  Something  of  mine  will  be 
played  at  Paris,  at  a  Conservatoire  concert.  Even  if  I 
fix  my  eyes  on  Paris,  I  must  not  think  for  a  long  time 
of  success  and  fees.  Besides,  I  have  now  a  strong 
desire  to  really  begin  an  artistic  work,  and  to  be  able 
to  stick  to  it :  how,  under  the  circumstances,  I  can 
satisfy  that  desire,  I  know  not.  So  I  hang  between 
heaven  and  hell ;  and  besides,  I  have  a  strong 
inclination  to  cast  myself  into  hell,  where,  at  least 
during  the  winter,  I  should  be  warm.  I  feel  very 
lonely ! 

I  wished  to  write  to  Fiirstenau  ;  or  rather,  as  he 
wished,  to  my  artistic  friends  in  the  band  and  theatre 
at  Dresden.  I  rejoice  at  the  thought  of  doing  it,  but 
put  it  off  to  another  time  in  order  to  do  it  better  than  I 
possibly  could  to-day.  Give  my  best  salutations  to  all, 
and  communicate  to  them  niy  design  with  regard  to 
them.  Hahnel  has  not  yet  come  :  I  should  be  delighted 
to  see  him,  and  I  thank  you  for  the  information.  Dear 
friend — I  promised  you  a  proper  letter :  this  time  ac- 
cept my  precious  manuscript  in  its  place.  Of  matters 
personal  there  is  not  much  to  say,  and  general  matters 
are  touched  upon  in  the  manuscript.  Besides,  I  am 
weary  of  work,  and  somewhat  melancholy.  What  good 
can  come  of  it  ?  Do  not  answer  evil  with  evil ;  and  rest 
assured  that  I  love  you  heartily,  and  am  truly  glad 
to  have  won  you  from  your  coyness  to  be  one  of  my 
friends. 


TO    UHLIG.  17 

Farewell,  and  expect  soon  something  better  from  me 
than  I  give  to-day. 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

November,  '49. 

N.B. — Were  it  possible  to  start  a  newspaper,  per- 
haps under  the  title  For  Art  and  Life,  I  would  willingly 
contribute  to  it,  in  order  to  help  to  propagate  the  new 
principles  far  and  wide.  One  day  I  must  say  more 
about  this  matter. 

5- 
DEAR  FRIEND, 

I  have  kept  on  fancying  that  I  had  still  to  receive 
a  letter  from  you,  or  from  one  of  you,  my  friends,  and  that 
— if  I  wrote — I  answered  that  at  the  same  time.  Probably 
you  have  for  the  moment  nothing  special  to  communi- 
cate to  me,  as  you  know  that  in  one  important  point 
I  am  cared  for.  The  news  from  X.  has  deeply  touched 
and  affected  me,  and  truly  in  more  than  one  respect ! 
With  women's  hearts  it  has  always  gone  well  with  my 
art ;  and  probably,  because  amid  all  ruling  vulgarity, 
it  is  always  most  difficult  for  women  to  let  their 
souls  become  as  thoroughly  hardened  as  has  been 
so  completely  the  case  with  our  political  men-folk. 
Women  are  indeed  the  music  of  life :  they  receive 
everything  in  a  more  open  and  unlimited  manner  that 
they  may  enrich  it  with  their  sympathy.  While  I  was 
expecting  news  I  was  surprised  by  a  remittance  of 
money  from  Dresden,  through  Herr  P. ;  I  at  once  wrote 
back,  as  well  as  I  was  able,  and  described  the  feelings 
prompted  by  these  proofs  of  love  and  sympathy  on  the 


i8  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

part  of  persons  whom  I  scarcely  knew.  If  such  ex- 
periences render  every  man  good,  noble,  and  cheerful, 
at  the  present  moment  they  have  quite  a  blissful  effect 
on  me.  I  have  never  felt  the  consciousness  of  free- 
dom so  beneficent  as  now,  nor  have  I  ever  been  so 
convinced  that  only  a  loving  communion  with  others 
procures  freedom.  If,  through  the  assistance  of  X.,  I 
should  be  enabled  to  look  firmly  at  the  immediate  future 
without  any  necessity  to  earn  a  living,  those  years 
would  be  the  most  decisive  of  my  life,  and  especially 
of  my  artistic  career;  for  now  I  could  look  at  Paris 
with  calmness  and  dignity;  whereas,  before,  the  fear 
of  being  compelled  by  outward  necessity  to  make  con- 
cessions made  every  step  which  I  took  for  Paris  a 
false  one.  Now  it  would  stand  otherwise.  Formerly 
it  was  thus :  Disown  thyself,  become  another,  become 
Parisian  in  order  to  win  for  yourself  Paris.  Now 
I  would  say :  Remain  just  as  thou  art,  show  to  the 
Parisians  what  thou  art  willing  and  able  to  produce  from 
within ;  give  them  an  idea  of  it,  and  in  order  that  they 
may  comprehend  thee,  speak  to  them  so  that  they  may 
understand  thee ;  for  thy  aim  is  just  this — to  be  under- 
stood by  them  as  that  which  thou  art.  I  hope  you 
agree  with  this. 

So  on  January  i6th,  1850,  I  go  to  Paris ;  a  couple  of 
overtures  will  at  once  be  put  into  practice ;  and  I  shall 
take  my  completed  opera  scheme :  it  is  Wiland  der 
Schmied.  First  of  all  I  attack  the  five-act  opera  form, 
then  the  statute  according  to  which  in  every  great 
opera  there  must  be  a  special  ballet.  If  I  can  only 
inspire  Gustave  Vaez,  and  impart  to  him  the  under- 
standing of  my  intention,  and  the  will  to  carry  it 


TO    UHLIG.  19 

through  with  me,  well  and  good ;  if  not,  I'll  seek  till 
I    find  the  right    poet.     For   every  difficulty  standing 
in    the  way    of   the    undertaking    I,  and    the    subject 
connected  with    me,  are   attacked  by   the  press ;    and 
if  it   is  a  question    of  clearing  away    without    mercy 
the  whole  rubbish,  and  cleansing  with  fresh  water — 
in    that    matter    I    am    in    my    right  element,  for   my 
aim  is  to  create  revolution  whithersoever  I  come.     If 
I  succumb — well,  the  defeat  is  more  honourable  than 
a    triumph    in    the    opposite    direction  ;    even    without 
personal    victory    I    am,    in    any    case,    useful    to    the 
cause.     In    this    matter   victory   will    only    be    really 
assured  by  endurance ;  who  holds  out  wins  absolutely 
and  holding  out  with  me  means — for  I  am  in  no  way  in 
doubt  about  my  force  of  will — to  have  enough  money 
to   strike  hard   and   without   intermission,   and   not   to 
worry    about    my  own    means   of  living.      If   I    have 
enough  money,  I  must  at  once  see  about  getting  my 
pamphlets  on  art  translated  and  circulated.     Well,  that 
will  be  seen  when  I  am  on  the  spot,  and  I  shall  decide 
according  to  the  means  at  my  disposal.     If  my  money 
comes  to  an  end  too  soon,  I  confidently  hope  for  help 
from    another  quarter — i.e.,    from   the    social  republic, 
which  sooner  or  later  must  inevitably  be  established  in 
France.     If  it  come  about — well,  here  I  am  ready  for  it, 
and,  in  the  matter  of  art,  I  have  solidly  prepared  the  way 
for  it.     It  will  not  happen  exactly  as  my  good-natured 
friends  wish,  according  to    their    predilection    for  the 
evil  present  time,  but  quite  otherwise,  and,  with  good 
fortune,  in  a  far  better  way — for,  as  they  wish,  I  only 
serve  myself — but  as  I  wish  I  serve  all. 

Don't  make  such  a  fuss  about  my  last  work  !     But  I 


20  RICHARD  .WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

should  be  a  fool  were  I  to  deny  how  pleased  I  am  that 
it  has  taken  hold  of  you.  From  Wigand  I  know 
nothing  about  it;  certainly  ten  louis  d'or  have  been 
sent  to  me  from  Leipzig  for  my  first  pamphlets,  but  no 
news  besides.  I  hope,  however,  it  is  printed  ?  The 
misprints  in  the  first  works  were  cruel,  and  often  quite 
distorted  the  sense.  Do  please  correct  the  new  one ! 
I  have  also  begged  Wigand  to  see  to  it.  After  this 
piece  of  writing  I  was  so  determined  to  do  no  more 
literary  work  of  that  kind  that  now  I  must  laugh  at 
myself;  from  all  sides  necessity  urges  me  to  put  pen 
to  paper  again.  If  we  are  quite  candid,  we  must 
also  truly  confess  that  it  is  the  only  thing  which  has 
sense  and  aim ;  the  real  art-work  cannot  be  created 
now,  but  only  prepared  for ;  yes,  by  revolutionary 
means,  by  destroying  and  beating  down  all  that  deserves 
to  be  destroyed  and  beaten  down.  That  is  our  work, 
and  quite  other  people  than  ourselves  will  be  the  first 
true  creative  artists.  Only  in  this  sense  do  I  conceive 
my  impending  activity  in  Paris  :  even  a  work  that  I 
may  write  and  produce  there  can  only  be  a  momentum 
of  revolution,  an  affirmation  sign  of  destruction.  Only 
destruction  is  now  necessary — to  build  up  can  only 
for  the  present  be  caprice.  I  have  still  very  much  to 
say  to  those  before  whom  I  place  my  Art-work  of  the 
Future;  therefore  I  made  inquiries  respecting  a  news- 
paper, in  order — even  if  only  in  outline — to  be  able  to 
utter  my  thoughts  aphoristically  about  certain  matters. 
Now  my  wish  is  that  a  sheet  should  appear  once 
a  week,  or  two  to  three  sheets  a  fortnight.  Such 
a  periodical  must  in  every  number  contain  a  full 
cannon  charge,  to  be  sent  against  any  rotten  tower; 


TO   UHLIG.  21 

that  overthrown,  next  time  another  would  be  attacked, 
and  so  on.  The  cannonade  would  last  as  long  as  there 
was  ammunition.  That  would  be  noble  and  useful,  and 
were  I  in  Germany  I  could  attend  to  such  periodicals  all 
by  myself— perhaps  this  even  would  be  possible  from 
abroad.  Now  if  you  wish  to  start  a  paper,  I  beg  you 
to  get  rid  of  all  that  smells  of  "  musical  paper  : "  always 
conceive  the  undertaking  from  a  general  standpoint — 
Art  and  Life,  and  truly,  according  to  their  core  and 
essence,  not  according  to  the  husk — under  which,  on 
the  one  hand,  I  understand  politics,  etc.,  and  on  the 
other,  modern  "  art  criticism."  With  that  we  could  not 
even  entice  a  cat  from  behind  the  stove :  to  such  stuff 
men  have  for  a  long  time,  unfortunately,  been  accus- 
tomed, and  thus  their  sight  has  been  darkened  for  the 
kernel  of  the  matter.  I  have  been  written  to  from 
Stuttgart  about  a  "  monthly  paper,"  in  the  programme 
of  which  "Art  and  Life"  also  figures:  I  have  promised 
to  take  interest  in  it,  and  also  have  recommended  you ; 
but  when  it  comes  to  the  upshot  there  is  far  too  much 
"  politics "  and  other  conventional  stuff  in  it,  German 
"  patriotism "  and  similar  nonsense,  the  contents  of 
which  are  too  familiar  to  us.  However,  I  must  send 
something  :  probably  an  article  on  "  Genius."  Do  get 
your  articles  out  soon  ?  Make  haste — for  sometimes  it 
seems  to  me  as  if  everything  would  be  too  late — yet 
one  thing  consoles  me,  that  what  is  really  good  cannot 
be  either  late  or  early.  If  my  Art-work  of  the  Future 
should  soon  appear,  please  send  me  here  at  once 
a  copy  "in  wrapper"  per  post,  at  my  expense,  of 
course. 

Everything    can    be    addressed    to    me    here    up    to 


22  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

January  1 6th  :  afterwards — Paris,  Mr.  Albert  Franck, 
libraire,  rue  Richelieu.- 

(This  last  notice  is  specially  for  Wigand,  if  he  will 
send  me  a  few  more  copies  of  the  work  about  which 
I  am  asking.)  I  still  cannot  get  a  sight  of  the 
Zeitnng  fiir  Musik  here. 

What  is  my  dear  little  Heinemann  doing  ?  Has  he 
recovered  from  the  trouble,  the  anxiety,  and  fright  of 
which  I  was  the  cause?  I  hope  my  last  letter  has 
calmed  him,  and  heartily  wish  he  would  testify  the 
same  to  me  by  writing.  In  any  case  the  best  comfort 
for  you  all  is  the  knowledge  that  I  am  so  thoroughly 
helped :  yes,  I  confess,  in  every  way  that  is  a  consolation. 
I  always  expect  every  day  to  receive  a  letter  from  you ; 
Fischer  also  owes  me  one :  still  I  will  send  this  off 
to-day,  even  if  you  gather  little  more  from  it  than  that 
I  live  and — thanks  to  my  friends — am  courageous  and 
full  of  spirits.  Also,  under  such  money-shower-con- 
ditions, my  wife  ought  not  any  more  to  show  a  sceptical, 
anxious  face :  I  hope  also  to  have  convinced  her  that 
whoever  helps  me  intends  only  in  my  person  to  help 
art  and  the  holy  cause  for  which  I  fight. 

Affectionate  greeting  to  Frau  R.  and  Herr  P.  from 
me  !  I  shall  soon  have  much  to  write  to  K. :  but  do  see 
if  he  has  anything  of  a  voice  !  Were  I  now  of  his  age, 
and  what  he  is,  and  had  I  as  much  voice  as  I  had 
formerly,  I  should  without  hesitation  become  an  actor : 
as  actor,  and  poet,  and  musician  at  the  same  time,  I 
would — even  at  dead  calm — revolutionise  the  whole 
drama ;  for  who  but  the  actor  could  have  the  practical 
force  for  it?  Think,  dear  friend,  if  Tichatschek  had,  in 
addition,  my  resources,  or  I  his  voice,  how  would  it 


TO    UHLIG.  23 

stand  with  the  theatre  nowadays  ?  Our  cursed  writing 
of  abstract  poetry  and  music  is  the  very  devil  to  get  on 
with  :  we  have  the  will  and  not  the  power.  Well,  more 
on  that  matter !  But  first  I  should  like  to  know  how  it 
stands  with  K.'s  voice.  Early  in  the  year  I  expect  to 
be  in  Zurich  again,  to  get  to  work  :  he  must  then  come 
to  me ;  he  could  live  with  us,  and  thus  I  could  see  and 
show  him  what  he  should  do. 

Adieu  !     Write  soon  to  me  and  don't   pre-pay  any 
more  letters  now. 

I  will  write  again  before  I  go  away. 

Farewell,  dear  friend,  and  don't  delay  the  Vespers 
to-day. 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

ZURICH    December  2"jtli,  '49. 

6. 

[PREFACE. — Don't  be  alarmed  at  the  "thou,"*  and 
look  upon  its  spontaneous  use  in  these  lines  as  a 
reactionary  outbreak  of  nature  against  our  wretched 
etiquette.  Let's  hope  thou  wilt  answer  in  like  re- 
actionary manner.] 

DEAR  FRIEND, 

In  any  case  I  should  have  written  to  you  to-day, 
to  let  you  have  a  short  notice ;  now  I  receive  your  letter, 
which  requires  a  longer  answer.  Yet  I  am  anxious 
that  you  should  receive  news  quickly,  and  therefore, 

*  This  preface  notwithstanding,  we  shall  keep  to  the  "  you  "  in  the 
letter.— TR. 


24  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

in  order  to  post  the  letter  to-day  I  make  it  only  so  long 
as  time  will  permit. 

The  news  is  this :  I  shall  not  be  ready  to  start  on 
the  1 6th.  If  anything  should  happen  of  special  import- 
ance which  you  should  wish  to  communicate,  address 
here  still.  Eight  days  before  my  definite  departure  I 
will  let  you  know. 

In  no  way  has  any  change  in  my  plan  been  made,  so 
far  as  it  depends  upon  myself,  but  only  a  delay  in 
carrying  it  out  so  far  as  it  depends  on  others.  The 
unexpected  remittance  from  Dresden  (of  about  five 
hundred  thalers)  I  have  set  apart  entirely  for  the  purpose 
of  satisfying  this  immediate  instinct,  that  of  providing 
for  the  barest  necessities  of  my  own  and  my  wife's 
support.  The  sum  notified  by  you  to  me  I  had  intended 
for  the  furtherance  of  my  Parisian  plan.  As  I  have 
no  news  thence,  it  has  occurred  to  me  that  the  remit- 
tance received  from  Dresden  (through  Herr  P.),  perhaps 
included  the  sum  intended  for  me  by  X.  I  should,  in 
this  case,  not  be  less  thankful  for  the  sympathy  shown 
to  me,  but  it  would  necessitate  a  change  in  my  arrange- 
ments. Paris  for  me,  without  guarantee  for  my  holding 
out  as  long  as  possible,  is  quite  another  matter.  How- 
ever, the  first  thing  is  to  gain  certain  information.  At 
the  end  of  the  year  I  wrote  to  X.,  which  I  should  even 
have  done  without  the  news  from  you,  as  a  letter  was 
owing  from  me;  naturally,  I  said  nothing  in  it  about 
that  communication.  In  any  case,  I  shall  probably 
receive  an  answer  within  a  few  days.  On  your  side, 
perhaps  you  could  find  out  from  Herr  P.,  in  a  suitable 
manner,  whether  there  is  any  ground  for  my  supposition 
with  regard  to  the  participation  of  X.  in  the  remittance 


TO    UHLIG.  25 

sent  from  him  to  me,  and  let  me  know  quickly.  I  hope 
I  shall  not  appear  brazen-faced  and  greedy  to  you ;  I 
submit  to  everything,  and  thank  for  everything,  as  soon 
as  I  know  for  certain. 

Besides,  I  have  been  ailing,  and  am  still  not  quite  well. 
My  familiar  winter  complaint  has  set  in  even  here — 
rheumatism,  which  caused  me  much  anxiety,  as  it  went 
towards  the  heart.  I  had  lost  all  inclination  for  work  ; 
I  have  not  even  yet  been  able  to  put  on  paper  my 
opera  plan,  I  felt  so  oppressed ;  and  I  only  consoled 
myself  with  an  expression  of  Feuerbach's :  "  He  who 
has  never  called  out,  '  My  God,  why  hast  Thou  for- 
saken me  ?  '  that  man  has  never  had  God  in  him."  But 
I  can  write  down  that  opera  plan  in  a  few  days,  if  only 
fresh  air  blow  again  through  my  brain. 

I  had  so  much  to  write  to  you,  also  so  much  to 
answer  in  your  letter,  that  I  should  consider  it  wrong 
and  unseemly  to  do  it  now  at  a  rush.  But  1  fear,  were 
I  to-day  to  express  myself  only  briefly,  I  should  chip 
off  the  point  of  the  matter,  and  never  be  able  to  return 
to  it  in  minute  detail.  Only  this  much  :  if  on  read- 
ing over  again  my  Art-work  of  the  Future,  you  do  not 
clearly  perceive  my  plan,  I  must  have  expounded  it 
badly.  The  genetic  origin  of  our  mutilated  modern  art 
from  collective  Grecian  art,  could  only  be  made  clear 
by  showing  in  a  precise  manner  the  important  moment 
when  this  art  passed  from  direct  representation  into 
indirect  representation  ;  from  Tragedy  into  the  so-called 
plastic  art.  Perhaps  you  may  have  understood  my 
argument  as  if  I  had  wished  only  to  notice  and  compare 
one  by  one  the  different  kinds  of  art ;  in  that  case  you 
have  misunderstood  me,  or  I  have  not  expressed  myself 


26  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

clearly.  I  so  grouped  all  the  arts,  according  to  their 
nature,  as  to  be  able  specially  to  show  by  them  the 
development  of  all  art,  up  to  our  modern  art  ideas,  in 
common  with  the  development  of  the  whole  being  of 
man.  Here  in  the  allotment  of  space  it  was  right  to 
act  in  a  thoroughly  impartial  manner ;  and  I  felt  there- 
fore compelled,  in  a  note,  to  make  excuse  for  my  long 
dwelling  (proportionately)  on  music. 

But  if  I  wish  to  show  that  plastic  art,  being  arti- 
ficial—only an  art  abstracted  from  true  art — must  cease 
entirely  in  the  future  ;  if  to  this  plastic  art, — painting 
and  sculpture, — claiming  nowadays  to  be  principal 
art,  I  deny  a  life  in  the  future,  you  will  allow  that  this 
should  not,  and  could  not  be  done  with  two  strokes  of 
the  pen.  Now  you  must  write  to  me  about  this  when 
you  have  looked  through  the  treatise  again.  I  quite 
understand,  too,  that  you  take  chief  interest  in  music ; 
perhaps  I  shall  return  to  it  at  greater  length  at  some 
future  opportunity. 

Now  for  to-day  :  Conclusion  ! 

It  has  touched  and  rejoiced  me  that  you  have  often 
thought  you  could  not  hold  out.  Despair,  disgust,  and 
fiercest  wrath — that  is  the  water  for  the  baptism  of  our 
new  life.  But  from  my  inmost  soul  I  have  been  forced  to 
laugh  heartily  at  your  lack  of  liking  for  what  is  French, 
and  at  your  recollection  of  the  cobbler  in  Lumpaci  Vaga- 
bundus.  For  so  is  it  with  many  ;  and  then  I  always 
think  of  the  cobbler,  this  very  cobbler.  Enough !  With 
so  much  to  tell  you  to-day,  I  ought  not  to  unbosom 
myself  so  hastily.  You  must  not  give  up,  but  write 
much  to  me.  With  that  you  quiet  one  of  my  needs. 

The  Music  Society  here  has  for  a  long  time  asked  me 


TO    UHLIG.  27 

to  study  with  them — or  rather  with  their  orchestra — a 
Beethoven  Symphony.  Now  I  have  twice  drummed 
through  the  A  Major  Symphony  with  them.  There  is 
a  rehearsal  again  to-day.  At  first  I  lost  all  inclination, 
but  gradually  it  begins  to  amuse  me ;  and  in  any  case 
I  hope  to  establish  something  solid,  especially  if  I  set 
aside  all  pride.  I  think  I  shall  bring  a  little  feeling  of 
shame  and  disgrace  to  the  (very)  rich  merchants  here, 
and  induce  them  to  open  their  gold-bags  in  order  to 
do  something  descnt  towards  a  good  orchestra ;  if  I 
succeed,  I  shall  think  of  you  for  its  head. 

You  write  me  nothing  concerning  K.  :  I  am  most 
anxious  to  know  if  he  has  a  voice.  I  take  lively  interest 
in  him,  not  only  because  I  like  him,  but  because  I  like 
the  future  as  much  as  I  hate  the  present ;  and  to  this 
future  would  willingly  bring  thoroughpaced  artists. 

Good-bye  for  to-day  !  Hearty  good  wishes  to  your 
new-born  child  ! 

I  have  forgotten  nothing  in  this  letter,  but  intention- 
ally have  only  mentioned  certain  things.  Good-bye. 
Salute  my  friends.  Soon  more  from 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

ZURICH,  January  I2f/i,  '50. 

Hottingen  is  a  parish — a  faubourg,  really,  of  Zurich. 
Zurich  itself  consists  of  many  separate  parishes,  of 
which  each  has  its  special  name. 

7- 
DEAR  FRIEND, 

I  am  glad  your  letter  has  already  reached  me,  for 


28  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

I  start  early  to-morrow  in  order — if  ail  goes  well — to 
arrive  in  Paris  by  the  1st  of  February. 

I  have  at  last  decided  to  start  under  all  circum- 
stances, and  specially  from  dietary  reasons.  I  am  some- 
what knocked  up,  and  am  suffering  from  extreme  nervous 
exhaustion.  The  last  eight  days  have  convinced  me 
that  here,  in  uneasiness,  wanting  to  work  and  not  being 
able,  I  shall  not  get  better.  So  I  snatch  at  a  some- 
what desperate  means — a  by  no  means  trifling  journey — 
in  the  hope  that  it  will  refresh  me  and  strengthen  my 
nerves,  as  one  often  experiences  this  by  travel  and 
change  of  scene. 

My  opera  scheme  for  Paris  is,  nevertheless,  ready ; 
only  I  have  still  to  translate  it  How  do  I  feel  with  all 
this  ?  Fearfully  stupid  ;  for  I  seek  continually  to  belie 
myself  on  behalf  of  my  friends. 

I  shall  spend  the  first  days  in  Paris  very  quietly,  and 
be  purely  concerned  about  restoring  my  much-impaired 
health.  Wigand's  honorarium — which,  according  to 
your  news,  I  am  to  find  in  Paris — I  have  reckoned  upon 
for  my  expenses  there :  may  I  not  be  deceived. — I  hope 
Wigand  will  send  me  some  copies  of  my  new  pamphlet : 
he  or  you  might  send  me  at  once  a  first  copy  in  a 
wrapper  (at  my  cost).  For  the  present  the  old  ad- 
dress holds  good : — Mr.  Albert  Franck,  libraire,  rue 
Richelieu. 

I  must  write  to  K.  in  detail,  and  in  a  decisive 
manner  ;  besides,  I  want  to  know  if  he  has  a  voice. 
He  will  soon  hear  from  me.  Salute  the  whole 
R.  family,  with  all  the  strength  which  in  this  present 
exhaustion  is  still  at  my  command.  I  can't  write  any 
more  to  you  to-day.  I  am  about  to  start.  More  from 


TO    UHLIG.  29 

Paris.     Salute  dear  good  Heine :  I  thank  him  a  thou- 
sand times  for  his  letter.     Farewell. 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

ZURICH,  January  2%th,  '50 


[Address  without  Christian  name  : — Monsieur  Wagner, 
59,  rue  de  Provence.] 

DEAR  UHLIG, 

That  the  thicker  letter  comes  as  an  enclosure, 
you  must  attribute  to  the  fact  that  I  do  not  exactly 
know  K.'s  address. 

From  this  letter  you  will  get  an  idea  of  my  health. — 
Splendid — feeble,  full  of  pain,  and  unable  to  sleep  ! 
Think  to  what  a  point  I  have  come.  Last  night  a 
wretched  joke  on  your  Christian  name  came  into  my 
head  (Louisd'or  instead  of  Theod'or),  and,  like  a 
ghost,  it  scared  away  all  possibility  of  sleep  from  me. 
I  cannot  yet  write  you  a  letter,  but  I  expect  news  from 
you  daily.  I  am  also  expecting  my  book.  Here  I  have 
been  able  to  do  nothing  but  move  out  of  one  dwelling 
into  another.  I  have  met  Semper.  No  money  order  from 
Wigand  as  yet.  To  the  March  number  of  the  Deutsche 
Monatsschrift  (Stuttgart),  I  have  promised  to  contribute 
an  article,  "  Art  and  Climate."  The  good  friend  in  the 
Allgemeine  Zeilung  has  determined  me  to  expose  the 
lazy,  cowardly,  preposterous  objection  of  "  climate  "  in 
all  its  emptiness.  In  any  case,  I  am  resolved  to  publish 


30  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Papers  for  Art  and  Life  entirely  on  my  own  account ; 
perhaps  fortnightly.  If  the  Art-work  of  the  Future 
attracts  any  notice,  I  shall  hope  to  win  Wigand  for  my 
undertaking.  Tell  me  what  you  think  of  him,  and  of 
the  matter  itself. 

I  have  made  a  mistake  in  the  Wibelungen ;  not, 
however,  in  the  title,  but  in  publishing  it  in  pamphlet 
form  :  it  ought  to  have  come  out  in  a  monthly  journal : 
make  my  excuses  to  Wigand  on  that  account,  and 
salute  him. 

I  have  not  written  to  the  king,  and  yet  there  appears 
to  me  some  truth  in  the  report.  At  the  beginning  of 
June  last  year  Semper  told  me  in  Paris  that  Heubner 
was  condemned  to  death,  and  that  the  execution  would 
soon  be  carried  out.  That  made  my  heart  jump  to  my 
mouth.  From  the  country  I  wrote  at  once  to  F.  v.  L. 
(naturally  without  saying  a  word  about  myself),  telling 
her  to  go  to  the  king  and  caution  him  against  carry- 
ing out  the  sentence  (in  case  it  had  really  been 
pronounced).  I  spoke  in  praise  of  Heubner,  and 
explained  how  the  king  would  not  only  have  done 
better  if — as  he  first  intended — he  had  called  him  to 
the  Ministry ;  but  that  now  he  could  not  do  better 
than  learn  to  know  Heubner  and  make  a  friend  of 
him.  Naturally  L.  did  nothing,  as  the  whole  thing  was 
only  a  rumour ;  but  now,  sentence  having  really  been 
passed,  she  has  probably  come  forward  with  a  letter. 
So  what  has  come  to  your  ears  may  quiet  you.  But 
now  I  intend  to  write  to  my  three  friends  at  the  Konig- 
stein,  and  shall  forward  the  letter  to  the  commander  of 
the  fortress  for  inspection.  I  have  at  heart  to  send  an 
energetic  brotherly  greeting  to  them.  Your  last  letter 


TO    UHL1G.  31 

I  have   already  read  twice  through  here  in   Paris  :  we 
have  no  further  details  from  Dresden. 

Farewell,  my  faithful,  dear  brother  !     Soon  more  from 

Your 

RICHARD  W. 

PARIS,  February  8th,  '50. 

Salute  Heine.     I  shall  write  to  him  shortly. 


.       9- 

[It  is  too  late  to  pre-pay  the  letter ;  don't  pre-pay  yours, 
and  we  shall  be  quits.] 

Really  this  only  was  wanting  to  me,  that 
Wigand  should  leave  me  in  the  lurch  with  regard  to 
the  honorarium.  I  have  so  much  amusement  in  Paris 
that  only  this  joy  of  daily  useless  waiting  was  necessary 
to  render  it  complete.  As  Wigand  had  already  sent 
word  to  Zurich  that  he  would  send  me  money  to  Paris, 
I  only  took  from  my  wife — whom  I  wished  to  leave  fully 
provided  with  money  against  all  conceivable  circum- 
stances— as  much  as  I  thought  I  should  require  here 
in  addition  to  the  honorarium  :  necessary  expense  in 
the  matter  of  dress  has  exhausted  my  supply  sooner 
than  I  expected,  and  I  should  already  have  written  to 
my  wife  to  send  more  money  had  I  not  every  day  thought 
1  could  count  on  Wigand's  sending  the  sum.  As  my 
wife,  in  case  of  necessity,  has  enough  money  for  me, 
the  matter,  fortunately,  is  of  small  moment :  but  it  is 
annoying,  because  from  day  to  day  1  have  not  know 
precisely  in  what  state  I  am,  and  therefore  have  delayed 
to  take  the  necessary  steps  at  the  right  time  with  my 


32  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

wife.     I  wish  Wigand  would  send  me  a  bill  of  exchange 
direct  to  my  address. 

It  is  quite  splendid  here  in  Paris,  dear  friend,  and 
in  your  last  letter  you  thoroughly  foresaw  how  much 
good  it  does  me  to  refresh  body  and  soul  here.  In 
one  point  only  are  you  mistaken,  and  not  to  appear 
quite  unthankful  I  must  set  this  right :  the  complaint 
about  the  feeling  of  loneliness  which  I  once  expressed 
in  a  letter  to  Heine  did  not  in  any  way  relate  to 
Zurich  and  my  friends  there,  but  merely  to  my  position 
in  general,  and  particularly  also  a  wee  bit  to  my  good 
friend  Heine,  with  his  ideal  of  Parisian  success.  I 
was  fortunate  enough  not  to  have  this  ideal  looked  upon 
by  my  Zurich  friends  as  the  one  allotted  to  me :  they 
were  so  thoroughly  agreed  to  leave  me  to  my  nature, 
and  to  take  me,  in  all  I  undertake,  just  as  I  am  and 
just  as  I  do,  that  this  thoroughly  sound  expression  of 
the  simple  Swiss  intelligence  of  my  friends  contributed 
not  a  little  to  make  me  feel  by  no  means  alone  in  their 
company,  whenever  I  turned  away  my  eyes  from  the 
greater  world.  Feeling  deeply  the  necessity  of  this 
justification,  I  must  tell  you  in  a  few  words  who  these 
friends  are.  My  nearest  are  two,  through  whose  support, 
offered  in  the  most  generous  and  tender  manner,  I  and 
my  family  were  kept  during  three  months :  one  is 
Wilhelm  Baumgartner,  pianoforte  teacher,  a  solid,  clear 
head,  a  cheerful,  uncommonly  good-natured  and  studious 
man  ;  and  the  other  Jacob  Sulzer,  town-clerk  (next  to  the 
burgo-master)  of  the  canton,  a  philosophical,  well-trained 
mind,  a  noble,  firm,  far-seeing  radical.  Both  are  still  in 
the  twenties.  In  the  second  rank  stand  :  Spyri,  a  young 
advocate,  open-hearted,  very  receptive,  enthusiastic, 


TO    UHLIG.  33 

devoted ;  Hagenbusch,  second  town-clerk  of  the  canton, 
an  energetic,  fine  young  man,  bright  intellect,  sound  heart, 
sprightly  manners :  both  likewise  still  in  the  twenties.  My 
old  friend,  Alexander  Miiller,  from  Erfurth,  and  settled 
for  the  last  eighteen  years  in  Zurich  as  music-teacher,  is 
a  first-rate  musician,  a  trusty  and  very  devoted  friend 
to  me  :  unfortunately,  through  too  much  teaching  and 
through  irritating  illness,  he  has  become  somewhat  in- 
accessible to  new  ideas.  To  these  intimate  friends  may 
be  added  a  number  of  more  distant,  but  very  pleasant, 
acquaintances.  In  their  circle  I  have  often  found  myself 
stirred  up  and  roused  almost  more  than  was  good  for  me. 

Here  in  Paris  people  have  an  immense  lot  to  do, 
but  merely  with  themselves  or  with  paltry  matters.  I 
do  not  know  any  artists :  even  Berlioz — whose  eccen- 
tricities I  would  willingly  forgive — cannot,  as  body-guard 
of  Meyerbeer,  attract  me.  The  only  man  who  interests 
me  here  is  Liszt's  secretary,  Belloni,  appointed  to  look 
after  my  business  affairs  and  intrigues  :  but  he  has 
not  yet  arrived  in  Paris.  Through  an  extremely 
fortunate  misunderstanding  and  inexactness  on  his  part 
I  have  arrived  in  Paris  four  weeks  too  soon.  The 
copying  out  of  the  parts  of  my  overtures  seemed  so 
expensive  here — as  I  have  at  length  discovered  after 
being  in  Paris  ten  days — that  I  have  had  to  write  to 
Liszt  about  it,  and  so  await  the  parts,  at  least  of  the 
Tannhauser  overture,  which  have  been  printed. 

Meanwhile  I  have  seen  Le  Prophete  for  the  first  time 
in  my  life,  and  on  the  very  evening  before  I  received 
your  last  letter  with  the  book,  for  which  please  accept 
my  best  thanks.  During  the  last  act  I  was  unfor- 
tunately disturbed  by  a  banker,  who  was  talking  at  the 


34  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

top  of  his  voice  in  his  box.  However,  I  have  become 
convinced,  and  in  fact  at  this  forty-seventh  performance 
of  the  opera,  that  the  work  has  won  from  the  Parisian 
public  an  undeniably  great  and  lasting  success :  the  house 
is  always  full  to  overflowing,  and  the  applause  more 
enthusiastic  than  I  have  ever  found  it  here  before. 

I  am  glad  to  be  able  to  tell  you  that  I  have  discovered 
the  nature  of  my  illness  :  it  was,  to  a  great  extent, 
melancholy ;  at  any  rate  a  strained  state  of  mind  has 
brought  my  constitution  into  the  present  dangerous 
and  excited  condition.  Just  lately,  in  a  detailed  letter 
to  F.  L.,  the  contents  of  which  will  be  communi- 
cated to  you,  I  have  thoroughly  explained  the  motives 
which  have  decided  me  under  no  condition  whatever 
to  write  an  opera  for  Paris ;  at  most  I  would  agree  to 
give  Lohengrin,  a  work  which  I  have  completed,  and 
which  has  become  indifferent  to  me,  to  be  plucked 
to  pieces  and  woven  into  the  wreath  of  honour  of  the 
great  Parisian  opera-house :  as,  however,  I  am  not 
so  childish  as  to  believe  that  this  gift  would  be  found 
suitable ;  and  as,  besides,  it  is  quite  impossible  for 
me  to  help  with  even  a  stroke  of  the  pen  towards 
such  an  offering  of  my  wares,  I  imagine  that  my  dear 
friends,  Heine  and  Fischer  (to  whom,  indeed,  I  do  not 
yet  venture  to  communicate  this),  will  not  have  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  a  Wagnerian  Swan-knight  swim 
across  the  Rhine.  Already — and  this  was  a  great 
boon  to  me — I  felt  better  after  sending  off  that  letter, 
an  improvement  which  became  more  marked  when 
yesterday  I  received  the  answer,  which  brought  hearty 
congratulations  on  my  resolve.  Not  to  be  looked  upon 
altogether  as  a  fool,  I  will  wait  here  for  the  produc- 


TO    UHLIG.  35 

tion  of  my  Tannhauser  overture,  and  then,  by  means 
of  a  journey  southwards,  try  and  fully  recover  my 
health.  Thus,  dear  friend,  a  horse  in  the  desert  cures 
itself  by  biting  open  a  vein ;  the  vein  with  me  is : 
Parisian  Opera.  I  feel  happy  as  this  unhealthy,  stag- 
nant blood  passes  from  me. 

Perhaps  it  is  possible  to  get  my  Art-work  of  the  Future 
translated  into  French  for  this  place.  When  it  appears 
it  will  be  well  to  have  left  behind  me  all  French  moun- 
tains, otherwise  I  should  be  unconditionally  expelled. 
I  have  had  to  give  up  my  plan  of  working,  not  for 
present  but  for  future  Paris :  apart  from  the  unfor- 
tunate circumstance  that  I  have  only  German,  not 
French  instinct,  my  articles  would  only  be  accepted  by 
socialistic  papers ;  the  first  would  no  sooner  have 
appeared  than  I,  under  the  conditions  known  to  me 
at  present,  should  receive  notice  to  quit  Paris  within 
twenty-four  hours. 

Paris  and  the  French  know  their  own  business,  and 
no  one  need  tell  it  them  first  in  translated  jargon.  To 
you  I  say  only  this  much  :  the  cobbler  in  Lumpaci- 
vagabundus  is  right !  The  sparrows  on  the  roofs  sing 
his  song  here,  and  the  roofs  and  the  houses  mournfully 
repeat  it.  Should  I  not  live  to  witness  the  fulfilment 
of  the  prophecy  of  the  star-wise  cobbler,  grant  me  a 
human  death  in  that  Alpine  valley,  but  do  not  compel 
me  to  die  like  a  rat  in  the  great  sweet-smelling  drain. 
From  the  Alps  I  will  write  you  a  German  Wiland, 
spick  and  span,  which  the  people  will  some  day 
understand.  Siegfried  and  Achilles,  for  which  the 
interpreters  are  not  yet  born,  I  will  bequeath,  printed— 
black  upon  white — to  a  more  fortunate  posterity. 


36  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Since  yesterday  I  have  been  writing  at  the  article  for 
the  March  number  of  the  Deutsche  Monatsschrift — "  Art 
and  Climate." 

Never  fear  about  my  new  home  in  Switzerland  !  To 
the  Swiss  authorities  I  am  no  exile ;  my  expulsion  would 
have  to  be  specially  demanded  by  the  Holy  Alliance, 
in  which  case,  by  means  of  citizenship,  quickly  to  be 
obtained,  I  should  be  safe.  So  K.  can  come  without 
any  fear. 

Good-bye,  dear  friend !  To-day  is  the  24th  of 
February.  I  will  go  and  walk  about  a  little  in  the 
Champs  Elyse'es !  Salute  my  friends,  and  especially 
my  dear  Ritters. 

Farewell ! 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 
59,  RUE  DE  PROVENCE 

(Wonderful  misprints  again  in  my  book  !  for  example, 
unmenschlich  instead  of  urmenschlich  /) 

10. 

DEAR  FRIEND, 

That  you  are  all  dead  and  buried  I  will  not  be- 
lieve, for  even  the  Krebs-fever  does  not  bring  about  death 
so  speedily ;  that  you  have  suddenly  given  me  up,  after 
being  convinced  that  nothing  could  be  done  with  me, 
I  will  not  fear,  for  I  should,  in  any  case,  have  expected 
from  your  fine  sense  of  decorum,  that  you  would  have 
given  me  knightly  warning  of  the  termination  of  our 
friendship.  -Long  before  now,  also,  I  had  expected  a 
letter  from  K.,  at  any  rate,  as  a  polite  answer  to  mine, 


TO    UHLIG.  37 

sent  to  him  four  weeks  ago.  I  am  astonished  !  I  can 
only  think  of  one  cause  of  hindrance.  I  told  you  to 
write  directly  to  me  here,  under  my  own  name.  Has 
it  appeared  necessary  to  the  authorities  to  open  and 
keep  back  your  letters  ?  It  is  possible ;  and  for  that 
reason  I  write  to  you  to-day,  so  as  to  get  an  explanation. 
Awaiting  this,  I  will  make  use  of  these  lines  to  tell  you 
something  really  good  about  myself. 

What  appears  to  us  as  chance — and  what,  after  all, 
in  relation  to  us  personally  is  only  chance — often  shapes 
itself  in  a  wonderfully  coherent  manner,  and  often  stirs 
and  completes  to  an  extraordinary  degree  our  inner 
being.  So  is  it  with  the  chances  of  my  present  stay 
in  Paris.  I  had  never  conquered  my  very  deep  aversion 
to  a  Parisian  opera-expedition.  Yet  you  know  from 
my  last  Zurich  letters  the  view  which  I  at  last  took  of 
the  matter,  and  which  decided  me  for  a  time  to  think 
with  enthusiasm  of  my  projected  Parisian  activity.  Oh 
what  joy  is  it  now  to  me  to  perceive  how  my  better 
nature,  and  everything  outwardly  connected  with  it, 
revolted  in  so  commanding  a  manner  against  these  bung- 
ling plans,  that  its  decisive  victory  has  preserved  me  from 
endless  bitter  consequences,  annoyance,  and  trouble  of 
all  sorts  !  Its  first  veto  was  declared  by  my  illness, 
which  was,  for  the  most  part,  the  result  of  melancholy. 
Just  as  I  am  fresh  and  eager  for  all  undertakings  into 
which  I  can  throw  my  whole  soul,  so  was  I  sad  and 
slow  when  Paris  was  the  subject.  Nothing  would  suc- 
ceed with  me.  With  endless  trouble  I  forced  myself  to 
my  Wiland  ;  it  always  sounded  to  me  like  "  comment 
vous  portez-vous  ? " — the  ink  wouldn't  flow,  the  pen 
scratched  :  without  was  bad  dull  weather.  Think  of 


38  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

me  arriving  at  Paris  in  this  state  of  mind.     Paris  would 
never  have  come  into  my  head  again  had  it  not  been  for 
Liszt's  secretary,  Belloni,  who  undertook  to  look  after  all 
squabbles  and  pettifogging  affairs,  for  which  naturally  he 
was  to  have  some  day  his  share  of  profit.    In  November 
of  last  year  this  Belloni  asks  me  for  the  scores  of  the 
Eienzi  and  Tannhauser  overtures  :  in  obedient  fashion 
I  send  them.     At  the  beginning  of  December  he  informs 
me  that  these  overtures  are  taken  up  by  a  new  con- 
cert society — Union  Musicale — in  competition  with  the 
mouldering  Conservatoire  concerts — and  that  they  are  to 
be  performed  in  the  course  of  the  winter ;  he  would  let 
me  know  the  dates.     At  the  same  time  he  announces  to 
me  that  he  means  to  go,  towards  the  end  of  December, 
to  Liszt,  at  Weimar,  but  that  he  will  be  back  again  in 
Paris  by  the  I5th  of  January.     So  I,  of  course,  calcu- 
lated  the  time  of  my  journey  to  be  at  latest  the  end 
of  January.     I  announced  this  to  you,  and  fixed  my 
departure.     In  the  middle  of  January  I  receive  a  letter 
from   Liszt,   in   which    he    summons    me,   in   the  most 
glowing  terms  and  with  confidence  of  victor}-,  to  start 
for  Paris  :  he  certainly  did  not  mention  Belloni,  but  I 
had  a  right  to  suppose  that  his  sudden  impulse  to  write 
to  me  had  been  arranged  by  agreement  with  Belloni,  who 
I  thought  was  with  him — or,  rather,  on  his  road  back 
to  Paris.     Good  !  I  arrive  in  Paris,  and  the  first  thing  I 
learn  is,  that  Belloni  had  just  started  off  for  Weimar, 
but  that  Liszt  had  known  nothing  of  this  projected  visit 
of  his  secretary.     If  in   all  this  Parisian  business,  as 
poet  and  composer,  I  was  to  be  the  head,  so  was  my 
skilful,  indefatigably  able  and  experienced  Belloni,  to  be 
the  whole  rest  of  the  body.     Well,  this  amiable  Belloni 


TO    UHLIG.  39 

lias  not  yet  returned  to  Paris.  I  beg  you  will  realize  the 
meaning  of  this  communication  !  Never  mind  !  I  was 
in  such  an  excellent  frame  of  mind,  and  was  so  burning 
with  desire  to  celebrate  my  heart-nuptials  with  Paris, 
that  I  thought  of  my  projected  literary  writing  for 
Paris :  the  possibility  of  finding  no  translator  who 
would  venture  to  reproduce  my  things  in  French,  did 
not  deter  me — my  desire  was  too  great,  for  I  knew 
my  Dresden  friends  were  watching  with  eager  delight 
for  my  first  Paris  scandal,  with  which  they  might  be 
able  to  box  the  ears  of  my  Dresden  enemies,  to  their 
own  great  personal  satisfaction,  and  as  an  excuse  for 
their  lasting  friendship  towards  me. — Then  one  morning 
an  agent  of  the  Ministry  of  the  Interior  walked  into  my 
room.  For  full  an  hour  he  took  down  what  I  had  to  say 
about  my  aims  in  Paris,  and  when  he  was  quite  con- 
vinced that  I  only  intended  writing  music  of  the  most 
innocent  kind — according  to  use  and  custom,  pas  de 
deux,  and  the  like — he  gave  me  his  blessing,  encouraged 
me  to  devote  myself  with  true  zeal  to  art,  and — as  he 
was  indeed  in  a  paternal  mood — he  whispered  in  my  ear 
some  patriarchal  warnings  closely  connected  with  the 
packing  up  of  my  trunk.  I  learned  later  that  this  well- 
meaning  man  was  an  enthusiastic  admirer  of  Meyerbeer. 
At  that  time  I  saw,  too,  for  the  first  time,  Le  Prophete — 
the  prophet  of  the  new  world.  I  felt  happy  and  exalted  ; 
cast  aside  all  rummaging  plans,  which  seemed  profane  to 
me ;  as,  indeed,  the  pure,  noble,  most  holy  Truth  together 
with  divine  Humanity  already  lives  so  directly  and 
warmly  in  the  blessed  present.  Do  not  blame  me  for  this 
change  of  opinion.  He  who  strives  for  the  cause  alone, 
should  hold  fast  to  no  prejudice,  but  willingly  let  go  all 


4O  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

false  principles  as  soon  as  he  perceives  that  they  were 
suggested  to  him  only  through  personal  vanity.  When 
genius  comes  and  drives  us  into  other  paths,  an  en- 
thusiast willingly  yields,  even  though  he  feel  himself 
incapable  of  accomplishing  anything  in  these  paths. 
I  see,  I  become  a  fanatic  when  I  recall  that  evening 
of  revelation.  Forgive  me  ! 

From  the  only  other  quarter  whence  I  learn  something 
about  you,  I  have  just  received  a  letter  which  has  com- 
pletely cut  me  short.  The  beautiful  state  of  transport 
into  which  I  had  fallen  has  passed  away  ;  and,  sobered 
down,  I  proceed,  in  order  quickly  to  close  (why  ?  you 
will  hear). 

So,  my  Parisian  art-wallowings  are  given  up  since 
I  recognized  their  profane  character.  Heavens,  how 
Fischer  will  rejoice  when  he  hears  I  have  become  a  man 
of  order  !  Everything  strengthened  me  in  my  ardent 
desire  for  renunciation.  After  endless  waiting,  I  at  last 
receive  the  orchestral  parts  of  my  Tannhauscr  overture, 
arid  pay  with  pleasure  fifteen  francs'  carriage  for  them. 
I  then  find  that  the  parts  have  arrived  much  too  soon, 
for  the  Union  Musicale  has  time  for  everything  except 
for  the  rehearsal  of  my  overtures.  I  am,  however,  told 
that  there  may  be  rehearsals  at  the  end  of  this  month,  and 
actually  under  a  conductor  who,  in  all  the  performances 
given  under  his  direction,  carries  out  the  happy  idea 
of  indicating  tempi,  nuances,  style  in  a  manner  quite 
different  from  that  intended  by  the  composer  ;  and,  with 
passionate  conscientiousness,  insists  on  studying  and 
conducting  himself  without  ever  allowing  the  composer 
to  expound  his  confused  views  about  his  own  work. 
Rocked  in  blissful  dreams,  I  receive  at  last  a  letter  of 


TO    UHLIG.  41 

Heine's,  with  an  enclosure  from  Wigand — namely,  a 
money-order  for  ten  louis  d'or,  which,  from  your  letter, 
I  had  unfortunately  expected  would  come  to  twenty 
louis  d'or. 

In  short,  early  to-morrow  morning  (at  eight  o'clock) 
I  start  off  with  the  intention  of  being  back  here  at  the 
end  of  the  month,  for  the  possible  rehearsals  of  my 
overture. 

I  am  sorry  for  Heine  and  Fischer.  Poor  fellows  ! 
they  picture  me  floating  along  on  a  sea  of  Parisian  hopes ; 
they  will  be  greatly  and  painfully  undeceived.  Salute 
and  console  them.  When  my  cursed  ill-humour  of 
to-day  has  passed  away,  I  will  write  to  Heine.  To 
his  fidelity  must  I  present  an  earnest  face.  A  thousand 
greetings  to  my  dear  R.'s,  from  whom  I  should  so 
much  have  liked  to  receive  a  line.  The  merchant  M., 
of  Dresden,  will  bring  you  something  from  me  when  he 
returns  from  his  great  Parisian  business  trip;  a  good 
daguerreotype  copy  from  an  excellent  portrait,  which 
my  friend  Kietz  has  taken  of  me  here. 

What  more  shall  I  write  ?  I  am  all  confusion  about 
my  hasty  departure.  I  have  now  only  to  write  the 
verses  to  my  Wiland ;  otherwise  the  whole  poem  is 
finished — German,  German  !  How  my  pen  flew  along  ! 
This  Wiland  will  carry  you  all  away  on  its  wings,  even 
your  friendly  Parisian  hopes.  If  K.  does  not  write  soon, 
I  shall  presume  that  he  is  raving  too  madly  about  Krebs. 
Krebs  is  clever — so  is  Michalesi — what  more  do  you 
want  ?  But  K.  should  restrain  himself,  and  not  give 
himself  away  so  much  as  he  does,  as  with  me  !  Farewell ! 
Another  time  you  will  receive  a  more  sensible  letter,  with 
a  list  of  misprints  in  my  last  book.  If  people  do  not 


42  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

comprehend  me,  even  after  this  work,  if  I  am  charged 
with  improprieties,  I  clearly  see  the  reason  :  one  cannot 
understand  my  writings  for  the  misprints.  To  my  joy, 
some  one  is  playing  the  piano  overhead;  but  no  melody, 
only  accompaniment,  which  has  a  charm  for  me,  in  that 
I  can  practise  myself  in  the  art  of  finding  melodies — 
Adieu  !  Bon  jour  !  Comment  vous  portez-voits  ?  Agrees 
r  assurance  de  la  plus  haute  consideration,  avec  laquellc 
fai  I'honneur  d'etre 

Votre  tout  devoue  serviteur, 

RICHARD  VANIER. 

PARIS,  March  l^th,  '59. 

"  Kunst  und  Klima  "  appears  in  the  Stuttgart  Deutsche 
Monatsschrift,  in  the  March,  or,  at  latest,  in  the  April 
number.  The  article  is  important. 

II. 

DEAR  FRIEND  THEODOR, 

Your  last  letter  to  Paris  I  received  yesterday — 
your  last  of  all  to-day. 

All  that  I  like  so  much  in  your  letters — especially  the 
earlier  one — which  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart  rejoices 
me,  and  to  which,  indeed,  I  can  only  answer  with  my 
warmest  love,  I  will  not  notice  in  detail,  for  it  concerns 
you  in  your  whole  character  as  a  man  ;  and  for  that  I 
should  need  much,  very  much  time,  and  especially  also 
inclination,  to  arrange  my  answer  with  pen,  ink,  and 
paper.  Now  I  will  at  once  tell  you  what  I  don't  like  in 
your  letter,  or  better  still,  write  it ;  for  it  can  be  done 
briefly,  and  perhaps  better  by  writing  than  by  word  of 
mouth.  So  listen  ! 

You  are   not   yet  perfect,   i.e.,   the  royal    chamber- 


TO    UHLIG.  43 

musician  still  sticks  in  your  body, — that  same  chapel- 
musician  who  performs  his  duties,  who  is  chosen  on 
widows'  fund  committees,  and  who  seeks  to  come  to 
terms  with  M  tiller  about  the  "  Modality"  of  this  or  that 
passage.  Your  care  for  the  better  payment  of  supernu- 
meraries was  noble  and  kind ;  but  that  in  all  men  you 
only  see  supernumeraries,  that  in  your  care  for  me  you 
place  this  care  for  salary  so  much  in  the  forefront,  and 
only  allow  place  for  my  nature  and  my  resolves  after 
you  feel  yourself  rid  of  this  care — that  has  made  me 
downright  vexed  with  you.  Your  joy,  when  you  at  last 
learn  that  1  have  a  yearly  maintenance — this  joy  which 
first  gives  you  courage  to  let  me  be  what  I  am — all  this 
has  seemed  to  me  very  unworthy  of  you ;  for  I  allow 
you  all  joys,  only  not  those  of  the  Philistine ;  for  you 
are  my  brother.  As  I  read  your  last,  enclosed,  letter  by 
the  fireside,  I  got  so  fearfully  out  of  temper,  that  I 
threw  the  letter  of  my  best  friend — I  repeat,  embittered 
and  angered  by  this  your  unworthy  joy  at  my  "  mainten- 
ance,"— I  threw  this  letter  into  the  bright  chimney-fire  ! 
Rejoice  now,  my  dear  brother,  at  this  my  deed"!  By 
this  expiatory  death  are  you  absolved  !  This  letter, 
engendered  by  your  last  remains  of  a  royal  chamber- 
musician,  this  letter  is  resolved  into  the  elements ;  and 
as  I  know  that  this  letter  was  the  last  deed,  the  last 
vital  spark  of  this  chapel-musician,  so  I  hope  that  this 
no  longer  exists,  at  least  no  longer  in  the  soul  of  my 
brother  Theodor  ! 

What  placed  this  letter  of  yours  in  so  clear  and  hateful 
a  light  was,  that  it  came  as  enclosure  in  a  letter  from  E., 
which  I  read  just  before  yours.  Ask  E.  what  I  mean 
by  that,  and  in  two  words  she  will  make  it  clear  to 


44  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

you  ;  for,  believe  me,  this  maiden  is  far  ahead  of  you — 
and  why  ?  By  birth,  because  she  is  a  woman.  She  was 
born  human ; — you  and  every  man  nowadays  are  born 
Philistines,  and  slowly  and  painfully  do  we,  poorest  of 
creatures,  succeed  in  becoming  human.  Only  women, 
who  have  remained  what  they  were  at  their  birth,  can 
instruct  us ;  and  if  they  did  not  exist,  we  men,  in  our 
paper  swathings,  would  go  to  the  ground  past  praying  for. 
Would  E.  have  taken  seriously  the  passage  in  one  of 
my  letters  in  which,  in  reply  to  your  strongly  expressed 
belief  on  the  matter,  I  affirm  that  Paris  is  refreshing  and 
rejoicing  me  to  a  high  degree,  that  it  is  magnificent,  etc.  ? 
I  scarcely  think  so,  and  imagine  she  must  have  under- 
stood the  irony  better  than  the  royal  Kamnter-musikus. 
To  touch  upon  one  more  practical  point.  As  I  have 
still  to  do  with  the  member  of  the  widows'  committee, 
so  I  tell  you  that,  in  regard  to  the  Wigand  affair,  I  am 
not  so  insolently  at  ease  as  to  be  able  to  do  without  the 
two  hundred  francs,  for  I  quite  counted  on  them  when 
I  calculated  my  expenses.  Misled  by  the  prospect  of 
twenty  louis  d'or,  I  ordered  clothes  in  Paris,  which  I 
much  needed.  Now  I  see  myself  compelled  to  give  a  bill 
to  my  tailor.  In  order  to  pay  this,  Wigand's  louis  d'or 
are  absolutely  essential.  Can  he  send  them  by  return 
to  Paris  ?  If  so,  write  this  by  return  to  the  address  : — 
"Albert  Franck,  libraire,  rue  Richelieu,  69."  If  not,  I 
shall  expect  the  money  at  Zurich,  old  address,  or  Orell 
and  Fu'ssli.  I  am  borrowing  it  now  from  my  Zurich 
friends.  Or  do  you  imagine,  because  you  think  me 
in  clover  (oh,  you  bad  chamber-musician  !),  that  I 
would  also  expose  all  my  affairs  with  my  tailor  before 
the  world  ? 


TO    UHLIG.  45 

It  is  impossible  for  me  to  conduct  my  overture  my- 
self in  Paris,  for  this  reason,  that  it  will  not  be  performed 
there  at  a//,  as  there  was  not  proper  time  for  rehearsal — 
perhaps  "next  year."  I  received  this  answer  on  the  eve 
of  my  departure  from  Paris,  and  truly  in  a  very  pleasant 
quarter.  I  think  I  never  laughed  so  loud  and  so  from 
the  bottom  of  my  heart  as  on  that  evening  and  in  that 
place. 


Enough  !  I  have  nicely  washed  your  head ;  and  now  I 
will  smear  a  little  pomatum  on  it  !  Are  you  glad  to 
learn  that  I  am  a  happy  man  ?  If  you  wish  me  to  be 
happy  so  long  as  I  live,  do  not  measure  me  this  life 
by  its  length,  but  by  its  contents.  Time  is  the  absolute 
Nothing :  only  that  which  makes  one  forget  it,  that 
which  annihilates  it,  is  Something.  Do  you  desire  a 
life  only  black  and  white,  you  can  have  it  as  long  as  you 
like  :  if  you  want  true  colour  in  it,  don't  trouble  any 
more  about  its  length.  If  I  die  soon,  I  have  done  and 
completed  what  I  could  do  and  complete,  for  I  can  only 
accomplish  what  is  possible  to  my  nature  ;  if,  at  last,  it 
wears  out,  it  has  performed  what  it  could,  and  what  it 
never  could  perform  except  by  continually  consuming 
itself— 

So,  /  am  happy ;  if  you  are  sensible,  you  will  all  be 
so.  In  Zurich  I  have  already  a  lady  violin-pupil  for 
you  ;  she  wishes  to  be  a  member  of  our  orchestra.  But 
more  about  that  another  time.  Much  is  happening.  Be 
sensible,  and  if  you  no  longer  play  the  chamber-musician, 
we  can  all  be  happy  before  the  world  attains  to  like 
happiness. 


46  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Farewell !  Everything  must  have  an  end.  So  also 
this  letter  !  Greetings  to  Elsa  Marie  ! 

Your 

RICHARD  W. 

March  26th,  '50. 

12. 

DEAR  THEODOR, 

Two  words  as  postscript  to  my  last  letter.  If  you 
should  receive  an  honorarium  for  Siegfried,  do  enclose 
the  money — in  case  you  get  it  by  the  end  of  this  month 
— to  Sulzer,  with  the  remark  that  I  had  myself  intended 
it  to  discharge  a  debt  to  Sulzer.  If  you  can  only  get  it 
later,  or  if  it  is  promised  to  you,  do  let  Sulzer  know  that 
you  are  expecting  money  from  me  ;  that  you  will  shortly 
see  about  the  settlement  of  a  debt  to  him  in  my  name. 

Frau  R.  will  give  you  one  hundred  thalers  for  my  wife. 

One  more  important  thing. 

Ask  Wigand  to  send  me  the  complete  works  of 
Feuerbach  to  Berne,  and  write  and  tell  me  at  what 
bookseller's  I  shall  find  them.  Farewell. 

Your 

R,  W. 

June  '50. 

If  you  write  only  to  me,  address  to  K.,  Berne,  poste- 
restante. 

13- 

(TO  A  MUTUAL  FRIEND.) 
DEAR  FRIEND, 

Here  you  have  the  manuscript ;  give  it  to  Uhlig 
if  he  is  coming  to  Weimar.  If  he  does  not  come,  send 
it  to  him  as  soon  as  possible,  wherever  he  is  staying. 
I  have,  as  you  will  see,  put  in  much  colour  in  copying. 


TO    UHLIG.  47 

Now  my  wishes  with  regard  to  its  appearance. 

The  article,  according  to  its  plan,  is  intended  for 
Brendel' s  Neue  Zeitschrift  filr  Musik,  Whether  Brendel 
will  have  the  courage  to  grapple  with  the  consequences 
of  its  appearance  in  his  paper,  I  know  not ;  but  if  he  will, 
he  must  give  the  article  in  one  number,  all  and  complete. 
He  might,  if  necessary,  give  a  quarter  of  a  sheet  to  it. 

If  this  is  too  much  out  of  his  usual  course,  I  should 
be  most  loth  to  allow  it  to  appear  in  two  numbers ;  but 
that  would  be  the  utmost:  I  entirely  forbid  further 
cutting  up.  If  Brendel  will  not  do  this,  the  article  might 
be  printed  as  an  extra  supplement — just  as  is  done  with 
paid  loose  insertions — and  given  with  the  next  number. 
For  this  I  will  see  to  the  costs. 

If  he  won't  do  anything  with  it,  Uhlig  must  try  to 
bring  it  out  as  a  special  pamphlet.  In  this  case,  some 
change  must  be  made  at  the  beginning  of  the  article. 

The  name  "  R.  Freigedank"  must  pass  muster. 
That  all  the  world,  will  guess  I  have  written  the  article 
does  not  matter ;  yet  by  an  assumed  name  I  avoid  use- 
less scandal,  which  would  inevitably  occur  if  I  put  my 
own  name  as  signature.  If  the  Jews  should  happen 
unfortunately  to  treat  it  as  a  personal  matter,  they  would 
come  very  badly  off;  for  I  am  not  in  the  least  afraid,  even 
if  M.  should  get  me  upbraided  with  his  former  favours, 
which,  in  such  a  case,  I  should  expose  in  their  true  light. 
But,  as  said,  I  do  not  wish  to  bring  about  a  scandal. 

I  ask  for  six  copies.  About  the  matter  itself  no  more 
correspondence  ;  choose  one  of  the  ways  indicated,  so 
or  so,  according  to  Uhlig's  judgment. 

Farewell,  and  do  not  fall  among  cheats,  especially  if 
your  people  should  not  come  to  W .  The  day 


48  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

after  to-morrow  I   go   up   the  Rigi.     Peps  is  barking 

loudly. 

Your 

R.  W. 

ZURICH,  August  24th,  '50. 

14- 

At  last,  best  friend,  I  can  write  to  you.  I  have 
been  intending  to  do  so  for  the  last  eight  days,  but  the 
non-arrival  of  the  longer  letter,  which  you  said  was 
coming,  kept  me  from  doing  so.  The  letter,  in  spite  of 
all  my  efforts  to  get  it  sooner,  only  reached  me  yester- 
day evening.  My  impatience  was  great,  for  I  knew 
that  your  letter  would  put  an  end  to  my  indecision  with 
regard  to  many  matters  ;  the  news  which  it  contained 
did  so  in  the  way  I  foresaw. 

I  presume  that  through  Frau  R.  you  have  been 
informed  of  the  change  in  my  affairs  ;  let  me,  then,  be 
silent  about  the  immediate  past,  and  only  briefly  tell 
you  this  much,  that  I  have  got  a  new  wife.  Though, 
speaking  generally,  she  is  the  old  one,  yet  now  I  know 
that,  happen  what  may  to  me,  she  will  stand  by  my  side 
until  death.  For  my  part,  I  certainly  was  not  thinking 
of  trying  her  in  any  way ;  but,  as  circumstances  have 
turned  out,  she  has  passed  through  a  fiery  ordeal,  which, 
indeed,  all  must  endure  who  nowadays  consciously  wish 
to  stand  by  the  side  of  those  who  recognize  the  future, 
and  steer  towards  it.  My  friends  here  have  proved  their 
mettle  splendidly. — I  have  aged  much,  and  I  now  know 
for  certain  that  I  have  entered  on  the  second  half  of  my 
life,  and  have  left  all  hopes  of  great  things  behind  me. 

Strange  that  a  friend,  who  in  many  important  matters 


TO    UHLIG.  49 

stands  apart  from  me  in  his  life  and  mode  of  thought, 
should  take  such  interest  in  my  whole  being,  should 
show  such  staunch  fidelity,  such  active  care.  I  mean 
Liszt.  He  -does  not  understand  my  way  of  thinking  ; 
my  mode  of  action  is  thoroughly  opposed  to  his ;  yet 
he  respects  all  my  thoughts  and  deeds,  refrains  most 
carefully  from  everything  which  might  in  any  way  offend 
me,  and  appears  to  devote  himself  with  his  whole  soul 
to  one  thing  only — to  be  useful  to  me  and  to  spread 
abroad  my  works.  With  the  most  detailed — I  might 
say  refined — care,  he  is  now  seeing  to  the  production 
of  my  Lohengrin,  at  Weimar,  and  from  all  that  he  has 
communicated  to  me,  I  am  almost  certain  that  it  will 
succeed.  He  therefore  begs  me  to  support  him  in  his 
efforts  to  get  the  opera  likewise  performed  at  Leipzig 
and  at  Hamburg.  I  have  been  compelled  to  reply  to 
him  that  I  could  take  no  pleasure  in  such  performances, 
because  they  would  only  prove  failures.  Wherever  I 
offer  myself,  there  I  lose  all  influence.  I  have  explained 
to  him  that  I  feel  perfectly  satisfied  with  regard  to  the 
Weimar  production,  because  I  know  that  he  is  there  at 
the  head  of  an  enthusiastic  and  uncommonly  willing 
personnel.  Liszt,  besides,  informs  me  that  there  is 
some  talk,  should  Lohengrin  succeed,  of  commissioning 
me  to  compose  my  Siegfried  for  Weimar  ;  for  which 
purpose  an  honorarium  would  be  paid  to  me  in  advance, 
sufficiently  large  to  enable  me  to  live  undisturbed  until 
the  completion  of  the  work.  Thereupon  I  have  answered 
that  I  would  never  have  composed  Siegfried  as  a  castle 
in  the  air  ;  but  if  Lohengrin  turned  out  thoroughly  satis- 
factory, I  presumed  that  actors  would  thereby  be  trained 
for  me  at  Weimar  who,  with  proper  zeal  and  earnestness, 

4 


qo  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

would  be  able  to  bring  Siegfried  to  life  in  the  best 
possible  way.  For  the  Weimar  company,  I  would  there- 
fore specially  get  the  Siegfried  music  ready  for  per- 
formance. Already  I  have  procured  music-paper,  and 
a  Dresden  music-pen,  but  whether  I  can  still  compose, 
God  only  knows  !  Perhaps  I  can  get  into  the  way  again. 
You  see,  things  having  so  shaped  themselves  out- 
wardly, a  great  change  has  also  come  over  me.  The 
moment  one  feels  connected  with  others  one  becomes 
much  more  settled,  calmer,  and  freer,  than  if  left  entirely 
to  one's  own  choice,  which  makes  one  not  free,  but  only 
confused.  So  now  the  choice  as  to  what  I  should  do 
next  tortured  me  :  was  it  to  be  a  poem,  a  book,  or  an 
essay  ?  I  seemed  to  myself  so  capricious,  and  all  my 
doings  so  unprofitable  and  unnecessary.  If,  even  by 
means  of  this  indecision,  I  became  clear,  and  through 
this  clearness  seemed  miserable,  I  only  received  fresh 
confirmation  when  I  came  to  see  the  effect  produced  by 
my  writings.  I  anticipated  that,  in  general,  no  further 
notice  would  be  taken  of  them ;  but,  only  with  a  deep 
sigh,  do  I  at  last  perceive  that  even  by  the  few  of  our 
own  party  who  took  notice  of  them,  they  were  quite 
misunderstood.  Prejudice  has  such  a  firm  hold,  that 
only  life  itself  can  break  it.  Only  a  true  artist — and 
he  must  be  a  man  as  well  as  artist — can  understand  the 
matter  under  discussion  ;  but  no  other,  not  even  if  he 
have  the  best  will  thereto.  Who,  for  instance,  amid 
our  artificial-egoistic  handicraft-copyings,  can  possibly 
grasp  the  natural  attitude  of  plastic  art  to  direct, 
pure,  human  art  ?  I  entirely  set  aside  what  a  statue- 
sculptor,  or  a  history-painter,  would  say  to  this ;  but 
that  even  a  writer  on  the  aesthetics  of  art,  in  other 


TO    UHLIG.  5  I 

respects    well   disposed — who  is    not  working   for  his 
daily  bread,  like  the  one  in  the  Deutsche  Monatsschrift — 
should    display  such    absolute  want   of  thought ;    that 
on  this    subject  he   should   fall    into  such  nonsensical 
babbling  about  art  as  he  has  done,  that  is  sad.     Well, 
I  read  the  notice  of  my  last  work.     Then  I  went  home 
with  K.,  read  clearly  to  him  and  to  myself  the  section 
relating    to    the    arts    of    sculpture    and    of    painting ; 
and,    although    thoroughly    disposed    to    question,    we 
both  found  the  turning-point  of  all  human  history  and 
art  so  clearly  expressed,  and  intentionally  developed  at 
length,  with  special    emphasis    in   the  section    dealing 
with  sculpture,  that  we  were  compelled  to  decide  that 
these  critics — who  had  not  even  noticed  this  important 
argument,  but   only  seemed  to  assume  that  I,  through 
ignorance,   and    because    I   wished    to    say    something 
about  these  other  kinds  of  art,  had  fallen  into  vagueness 
and  uncertainty — that  these  critics  had  misunderstood 
the   whole    book,    since    they    looked    upon    the    chief 
point,  insisted    on  with    energy — the   downfall    of  the 
egoistic-juojiitnienfalin  favour  of  the  communistic-preset  f 
with  all  zVs  movement  only  as  a  secondary  aberration. — 
At  such  moments  one's  hands  fall,  and  one  becomes  con- 
vinced that  all  talking  and  writing  on  the  matter  is  vain 
and  unprofitable.     When  it  really  comes  to  pass,  the 
public  will  quite  understand  ;  at  present  he  alone  under- 
stands it  who  is  urged  to  it  by  necessity — that  is,  only 
one  who  is  an  artist,  and,  as  an  artist,  has  become  human. 
I  do  not  boast  of  the  loneliness  in  which  I  find  myself, 
but  with   all  my  soul  could  wish  to  lose  myself  among 
a  million  of  persons  of  like  deep  experience  and  need. 
It  was  this,   and  no  other  impulse,  which  led    me   to 


52        RICHARD  WAGNERS  LETTERS 

write  that  essay ;  but  I  see  now,  clearer  than  ever,  that 
the  man  who  does  not  learn  by  himself,  and  by  his  own 
experience,  will  surely  not  get  understanding  from 
without.  I  had  intended  to  set  to  work  at  another  book 
—  The  Redemption  of  Genius — which  should  cover  the 
whole  ground.  Feeling  the  uselessness  of  this  book,  I 
determined  to  content  myself  with  two  little  essays : 
first,  The  Monumental ;  then,  The  Unbcauty  of  Civilisa- 
tion, deducing  the  conditions  of  the  beautiful  from  the 
life  of  the  future.  But  what  should  I  effect  by  that  ? 
Fresh  confusion — and  nothing  else!  But  above  all — no 
notice  would  be  taken  of  it.  So  already  the  poem  of 
Achilles  haunted  me :  I  wanted  to  get  it  ready  for  pub- 
lication. Now  you  say  Wigand  will  not  even  print 
Siegfried.  God  be  praised !  He  has  more  sense  than 
I.  Then  comes  Liszt  and  orders  Siegfried  for  perform- 
ance at  Weimar.  That's  the  right  tiling — if  at  Weimar 
they  make  Siegfried  only  half-understood,  that  will  be 
the  most  important  thing  of  all  for  me :  what  people 
see  they  believe ;  and  if  they  be  but  a  few,  they  are 
certainly  more  than  I  could  hope  to  win  over  and  con- 
vince by  writing.  So,  for  the  present,  good-bye,  author. 
Let  alone  the  publication  of  Siegfried :  it  could  only  lead 
to  confusion.  Keep  the  manuscript  ! 

Had  I  made  these  observations  only  to  myself,  perhaps 
I  should  have  remained  embarrassed ;  but  now  I  have 
made  them  to  you,  and  sympathy  for  you  has  quickly 
helped  me.  Since  my  return  to  Zurich  I  have  procured 
all  the  numbers  of  the  first  half  year  of  the  Xeuc 
Zcitschrift  fur  Musikj  and  I  have  read  not  only  all  your 
articles,  but  nearly  all  the  rest.  First  I  read  only  your 
articles;  they  rejoiced  me  beyond  expression,  and,  more 


TO    UHLIG.  53 

than  that,  I  learnt  much  from  them.  I  thank  you  very 
much.  In  your  own  line  you  are  a  master  :  I  cannot 
say  more.  Your  thoroughness  is  crushing,  and  no  one 
who  has  any  brains  in  his  head  would  venture  to  discuss 
with,  but  only  to  be  taught  by,  you.  Your  two  articles 
on  the  Beethoven  Symphonies  are  of  decisive  import- 
ance, and  it  quite  delighted  me  to  see  how  the  power  of 
truth  overswayed  you  in  your  view  of  things,  so  that  in 
favour  of  this  truth  you  cast  to  the  winds  your  own 
former  art-nature — yes,  you,  as  if  animated  by  love, 
annihilate  the  whole  Beethoven  who  has  touched  us  in 
so  deep  and  sympathetic  a  manner,  in  order  to  see  rise 
from  these  noble  ruins  the  one,  true,  eternal  art — the 
common  good  of  all  men ;  just  as  we  recognized  that 
Beethoven,  in  order  to  rise  to  the  universality  of  a 
higher  life,  even  annihilated  his  own  most  personal 
nature.  In  the  individual  this  great  process  of  self- 
annihilation  only  takes  place  unconsciously  ;  but  if  we 
must  annihilate  this  individual  so  beloved  by  us,  this 
can  only  be  done  consciously,  and  whoever  so  compels 
his  free  will  to  do  this,  that  man  stands,  in  the  history 
of  human  development,  on  a  higher  plane  than  the  self- 
annihilator.  So  it  is  :  you  express  what  exists ;  we  can 
do  nothing  else;  it  is  the  highest,  and  until  we  have 
declared  this  we  are  not  earnest  helpers  in  the  work  of 
the  future.  But  I  know  what  a  mighty  effort  it  must 
have  cost  you  so  to  annihilate  in  yourself  the  egoism 
of  your  special  form  of  art.  I  look  all  around,  yet  see 
no  one  whom  I  can  compare  with  you ;  for  just  the 
fact  that  you  were  so  definite,  so  absolute  a  musician 
distinguishes  you.  That  man  alone  is  capable  of  attaining 
to  overpowering,  strong,  human  love  who  has  first  felt 


54  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

love  with  fullest  force  in  perfect  individual,  personal 
relationship ;  to  destroy  this  power  means  then  only 
infinitely  to  widen  and  extend  it ;  you  have  been  able 
to  get  so  far  for  this  very  reason  that  you  were  so 
positively,  thoroughly,  entirely  a  musician. — What  is 
now  your  position  ?  Look  into  the  Neue  Zeitschrift 
fur  Musik,  and  to  your  disgust  you  will  recognize 
it  !  Your  articles  are  not  even  read  by  those  who 
write  with  you  in  the  same  newspaper,  else  would  the 
Schumannist,  at  least,  have  waged  war  against  you. 
Now,  who  has  understood  you  ? — Dearest,  confess  that 
we  are  both  crazy  !  I  cannot  see  the  absolute  necessity 
for  one  and  the  same  journal  to  contain  at  the  same 
time  the  highest  and  the  lowest,  and  I  am  therefore  of 
opinion  that  you  should  look  about  for  another  paper ; 
but  when  I  perceive  where,  and  among  whom  I  stand 
with  my  solitary  pamphlets,  I  entertain  strong  doubts 
as  to  whether  you  will  be  better  off  anywhere  else.— 
Hear  now,  what  I  advise  !  Give  yourself  up  entirely  to 
humour  ;  develop  your  excellent  capabilities  for  it  more 
and  more,  and  in  a  more  definite  manner.  Write  no 
longer  seriously,  and  laugh  incessantly ;  that  is  the  only 
way  in  which  one  can  preserve  life  and  continue  to  be 
useful.  Ah !  how  I  have  chuckled  over  the  " Reflexiondr  " 
and  the  "  Baron  von  Lorenz"  etc.  Suddenly  everything 
seemed  good.  Wit  only  is  still  fruitful. 

Besides,  Kolatschek — who  is  here  in  Zurich,  as  he  was 
in  danger  of  being  shoved  from  Wiirtemberg  to  Austria 
— told  me  your  articles  have  given  him  enormous  pleasure, 
and  that  in  any  case  he  will  print  them  in  the  Monats- 
schrift,  only  he  must  wait  a  little,  so  that  what  is  purely 
artistic  may  not  appear  too  early  in  a  paper  which  has 


TO    UHLIG.  55 

only  touched  upon  art  in  the  most  general  manner.  The 
Monatsschrift,  however,  is  getting  on  and  will  prosper.— 

Now  to  another  matter. 

Dear  brother,  something  must  be  done  with  you;  you 
cannot  stop  in  the  Dresden  band-mire.  You  are  no  giant 
in  health,  and  your  liveliness,  your  great  diligence  in 
intellectual  pursuits,  must  pull  you  down,  so  long  as  you 
continue  your  orchestra-fiddling,  physically  of  so  absorb- 
ing a  nature.  You  know  the  family  R.  is  thinking  of 
migrating  to  Switzerland  next  spring;  you  ought  to 
come  with  them.  As  what  ?  First  of  all,  as  a  sensible 
man,  who  takes  life  easily,  spares  his  health,  prepares 
himself  for  future  fitting  activity,  and  already  now  is 
of  as  much  service  on  all  sides  as  he  can  be  to  intel- 
ligent and  sympathetic  men.  You  will  do  here  all  you  do 
in  Dresden,  only  not  the  one  thing  which  you  ought  not 
to  do,  i.e.,  you  will  no  longer  go  fiddling  in  the  orchestra. 
On  the  contrary,  you  and  K.,  perhaps  also  S.,  will  be 
engaged  in  giving  concerts ;  in  winter  especially  you 
could  give  public  quartet-performances.  I  will  guarantee 
you  a  good  subscription  list.  How  stand  matters  now  ? 
Have  you  any  means  ?  If  not,  can  you,  to  begin  with, 
raise  a  small  sum  ? — If  you,  the  R's.,  and  we,  instead 
of  three  or  four  homes,  were  to  have  one,  do  you  not 
think,  provided  each  one  were  to  act,  work,  and  assist 
to  the  best  of  his  power,  that  we  should  live  better  and 
cheaper  than  if  separated  ? — I  merely  throw  out  the 
suggestion,  for  I  have  no  intimate  knowledge  of  your 
situation.  I  only  know  that  the  Ritters  are  very  fond 
of  you,  and  would  willingly  have  you  with  us.  Take 
counsel  with  yourself ;  look  upon  it  as  the  most  impor- 
tant decision  of  your  life,  be  merciless  to  all  obstacles ; 


56  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

and  talk  over  the  matter  with  Frau  R.  It  can  and 
must  be  done ! 

I  feel  very  well  again  just  now  in  Zurich,  and  I  would 
choose  to  live  here  rather  than  anywhere  else  in  the 
whole  wide  world.  We  have  a  most  delightful  dwelling 
by  the  lake,  with  the  most  magnificent .  views,  garden, 
etc.  In  an  old  coat  I  go  down  to  the  lake  to  bathe ; 
a  boat  is  there  which  we  row  ourselves.  Besides, 
an  excellent  race  of  men,  and  whichever  way  we  turn 
sympathy,  politeness,  and  the  most  touching  readiness 
to  do  service  :  yea,  more,  and  more  trusty,  friends  than  I 
could  ever  find  in  beautiful,  big  Dresden.  All  are  glad 
to  see  me ;  of  Philistines  here  I  only  know  the  Saxon 
exiles.  Ah,  how  unfortunate  and  worthy  of  pity  you 
seem  to  me  there  ! 

K.  gives  me  much  pleasure,  and  I  am  pleased  to  see 
that  he  does  what  is  sensible  of  his  own  accord.  His 
capacity  is  extraordinary ;  he  understands  with  marvel- 
lous quickness.  When  he  is  walking  out  alone  with  me, 
he  expresses  the  most  amiable  confidence ;  at  such  mo- 
ments he  can  talk  your  head  off,  but  always  with  charm 
and  animation.  To  the  astonishment  of  all,  he  lately 
gave  a  piece  of  his  mind  to  a  parson,  in  an  inn,  so  that 
the  latter  stood  perfectly  aghast.  I  should  like,  for  prac- 
tice" sake,  to  make  him  music  director  of  the  Winter 
Theatre  show  here;  perhaps  I  can  manage  it.  Meantime, 
he  is  learning  Scandinavian.  Curiously  enough,  he 
spurred  me  on  to  Siegfried,  even  before  Liszt's  incentive. 

Listen  !  Cannot  you  come  at  once  to  us  ?  Be  assured 
you  will  not  in  any  way  repent  of  it,  and  you  will  only 
experience  one  sorrow — not  to  have  done  it  sooner. 

Now — farewell  for  to-day  !    I  hear  you  are  at  the  baths 


TO    UHLIG.  57 

with  Kummer  !  May  you  both  prosper  !  I  shall  also 
rejoice  heartily  if  Kummer  comes.  My  health  is  better ; 
however,  as  yet  I  have  no  real  strength,  and  feel,  for 
the  most  part,  very  tired ;  but  the  nervous  complaint 
has  much  abated.  Ah  !  let  us  above  all  things  get 
healthy.  If  we  have  it  in  our  power,  we  are  not 
deserving  of  life  if  we  avoid  any  sacrifice  whatever 
on  that  account. 

Farewell !  .Write  soon,  and  give  me  a  favourable 
decision. 

Your 

RICHARD  W. 

I  must,  after  all,  write  to  Feuerbach.  Make  in- 
quiries about  the  place  where  he  lives,  and  send  him 
the  enclosed  letter.  Whether  I  shall  really  get  his 
works  in  this  manner,  according  to  Wigand's  intima- 
tion, "he  may  ask  for  them  himself,"  is  a  matter  on 
which  I  must  still  reflect. 

IS- 

(TO    A    FRIEND    AT    HOME.) 

I  can  offer  no  objection  now  to  having  my 
scheme,  formed  over  two  years  ago,  for  the  institu- 
tion of  a  national  theatre  for  the  kingdom  of  Saxony, 
printed  and  circulated.  It  has  now  no  practical  mean- 
ing, since  all  the  conditions  under  which  it  might 
possibly  be  carried  out  have  disappeared ;  nor  do  I  feel 
moved  by  the  wish  of  some  friends  who,  by  making 
known  my  projects,  would  like  to  refute  the  statement 
of  many  a  critic  of  my  writings  on  art — the  statement, 


58  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

namely,  that  I  was  incapable  of  proposing  anything 
capable  of  being  worked  out  in  a  practical  manner.  Far 
more  am  I  induced  to  show,  by  a  clear  example,  how 
in  our  circumstances  all  effort  to  reform  is  altogether 
without  prospect  of  result ;  while,  on  the  contrary,  the 
complete  undoing  of  those  bad  and  unnatural  circum- 
stances has  become  the  only  possible  solution. 

Who,  in  the  spring  of  the  year  1848,  was  not  filled 
with  hope  ?  The  leathern  armour  against  which  we 
previously  struck  whenever  we  attempted  to  obtain 
relief  from  existing  grievances,  seemed,  before  the 
rays  of  the  March  sun,  to  expand  into  yielding,  soft 
human  flesh,  through  which  we  even  seemed  to  feel  the 
beating  of  the  heart.  How  unnecessarily  cruel  did  it 
appear  to  us  to  aim  with  deadly  dart  at  this  heart 
almost  laid  bare,  and,  as  if  in  duty  bound,  murderously 
to  pierce  through  that  flesh.  Mummies  for  us  had 
become  men  ;  as  men  we  wished  to  speak  to  them,  and 
with  them  to  plan  and  establish  what  is  human  and 
reasonable.  Reform  and  Constitution ;  those  were  our 
watchwords,  the  standards  under  which  we  hoped  to 
conquer  and  to  become  happy.  It  seemed  so  natural  to 
us  merely  to  make  our  wishes  fully  harmonise  with 
those  of  our  surrounding  and  of  the  community  of 
our  comrades  to  proclaim  the  wish  of  the  corporation, 
as  its  need,  to  bring  this  need  into  necessary  unison 
with  the  great  common  state  interest,  and  then  to  place 
for  examination  and  acceptance  what  had  been  thus 
finished,  proved,  and  clearly  formulated,  before  the  State 
authorities,  whom  we  ventured  to  think  desirous  of  more 
exact  knowledge,  so  that  at  last  we  might  quickly  see 
brought  about  the  inauguration  of  that  which  would  be 


TO    UHLIG.  59 

to  the  mutual  advantage  of  all  parties.  Thus  the  attain- 
ment of  the  good  seemed  to  depend  upon  our  own  wills, 
and  each  one  who  was  strongly  sensible  of  such  will, 
ventured  to  feel  himself  called  upon  to  collect  his  experi- 
ences and  opinions,  and  to  make  well-founded  proposals 
to  the  competent  authority. 

It  was  in  that  spring,  rich  in  hopes,  that  I  drew  up 
my  plan  for  the  reform  of  the  Royal  Court  Theatre  and 
of  the  orchestra  at  Dresden,  which  naturally  went  so 
far  as  to  propose  the  erection  of  a  national  Art  Institute 
for  our  very  small  fatherland.  A  special  circumstance 
prompted  me  to  hasten  on  with  the  production  of  my 
plan.  On  all  sides  was  the  rumour  confirmed  that 
the  General-director  of  that  royal  institution  would 
resign  on  the  approaching  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of 
his  administration.  Now  if  I  hurried  on  with  my  pro- 
posal, it  was  with  the  intention,  before  the  place  was 
filled  up,  of  making  him  who  had  to  dispose  of  it 
acquainted,  through  the  responsible  Minister  of  State, 
with  the  high  tendency  and  significance  which  might  be 
given  to  that  splendid  art-institute  ;  and  as  hereby  only 
a  standard  for  regulating  the  future  was  suggested,  I  had 
the  comfort  of  being  able  to  do  something  generally  useful, 
yet  without  injury  to  that  person  who — if  he  had  intended 
remaining  at  his  post — would,  in  any  case,  have  been  a 
hindrance  to  the  general  good,  and  hence,  though  contrary 
to  my  personal  wish,  would  have  been  attacked  by  me. 

I  placed  my  plan  before  the  Ministers  of  the  Interior 
and  of  Public  Worship.  The  enthusiasm  with  which 
the  first,  Martin  Oberlander,  agreed  to  my  propositions, 
after  he  had  made  himself  thoroughly  acquainted  with 
them,  delighted  me  all  the  more,  as  formerly  I  had  found 


60  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

him  generally  prejudiced  against  the  theatre.  Such  is 
always  the  case  with  honest  men  who  trouble  themselves 
to  remove  real  distress  from  a  suffering  people,  and,  on 
the  other  hand,  naturally  will  not  understand  how  an 
institution  which  in  its  present  condition  and  influence 
seems  only  to  serve  for  amusement  and  for  the  gratifica- 
tion of  luxury,  can  claim  their  attention  to  an  equal  or 
even  a  similar  degree.  Oberlander's  warm  sympathy 
for  my  proposals  consequently  seemed  to  me  a  first 
triumph  ;  for  if,  on  the  one  hand,  I  wished  to  withdraw 
such  precious  means  as  were  at  the  disposal  of  the 
royal  band  and  theatre  at  Dresden,  from  the  hurtful 
influence  of  inartistic  guidance  and  expenditure,  on  the 
other  hand  I  was  not  less  concerned  to  dispel  the  fore- 
mentioned  ill-feeling  which — as  well  as  from  the  Minister 
of  the  Interior — I  had  also  to  expect  from  a  great  number 
of  the  deputies  at  the  expected  Diet ;  and,  by  demon- 
strating how,  with  suitable  employment  of  those  means, 
even  the  grounds  of  their  dissatisfaction  with  the  in- 
fluence of  the  theatre  would  vanish,  to  induce  them  to 
take  an  interest  in  the  institution  in  question,  rather 
than  by  withdrawal  of  the  means — a  thing  easily  to  be 
feared — utterly  to  crush  it.  How  unnecessary  was  my 
trouble  !  how  unnecessary  my  anxiety  ! 

The  Minister  confessed  to  me  that  he  could  not 
venture  to  promise  success  in  the  matter,  if  I  persisted 
in  my  desire  to  have  it  taken  up  by  the  King  himself 
and  placed  as  a  government  proposal  before  the  deputies 
of  the  Diet,  and,  indeed,  for  the  simple  reason,  that  from 
his  observations  hitherto  he  could  not  expect  to  find  the 
King  favourably  disposed  towards  such  energetic  plans. 

If,  as  in  the  present  case,  it  were  held  as  a  privilege, 


TO    UHLIG.  6  I 

inherited  by  birth  and  by  divine  right,  that  only  a 
courtier  of  ancient  nobility  could  be  director  of  a  royal 
art  institution,  not  only  whether  or  not  he  understood 
anything  about  the  nature  of  art,  but  (to  quote  the 
saying  of  a  monarch  possessed  of  artistic  tastes)  just 
because  he  understood  nothing — then  this  particular 
supposition,  as  soon  as,  by  its  very  nature,  it  affected 
the  interest  of  a  personage,  could  only,  in  cases  like  the 
one  in  question,  lead  to  something  like  the  following 
phenomena  : — 

A  royal  band  and  a  court  theatre  exist  :  the  monarch 
does  not  trouble  himself  much  about  their  activity, 
because  he  runs  after  other  less  noisy  amusements  ; 
nevertheless  he  likes,  now  and  then,  to  see  something 
good  brought  to  light  as  a  result  of  their  activity,  and  he 
enjoys  nothing  but  these  good  things ;  only  all  dealing 
with  the  economical  management  of  the  institution  is 
painful,  because  it  always  costs  more  than  it  ought  to 
cost,  and  his  intendant  assures  him  that  it  would  cost 
much  more  still  if  good  things  only  were  performed. 
Vexed  at  this,  the  thought  enters  into  the  king's  head, 
whether  it  would  not  be  better  to  give  over  the  direc- 
tion of  the  institution  into  the  hands  of  a  practical,  ex- 
perienced man  of  business,  who  for  a  fixed  sum  would 
undertake  to  supply  the  art  needs  of  the  court  and  of 
the  capital.  He  could  almost  make  up  his  mind  to  adopt 
this  measure,  for  after  all,  by  its  means,  there  would 
only  be  a  lowering  of  art,  but  in  no  way  a  detraction 
from  the  dignity  of  the  throne.  But  now  a  proposition 
is  made  to  him,  not  directly  in  the  interests  of  economy, 
but  in  the  interest  of  art,  to  place  that  institution 
on  a  thoroughly  new  footing,  on  a  truly  higher  and 


62  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

more  worthy  one ;  but  this  can  only  be  done  if,  among 
other  equally  stringent  conditions,  not  a  courtier 
ignorant  of  art,  but  an  experienced  artist  be  entrusted 
with  the  direction.  Everything  dealing  with  principle 
naturally  excites  closer  attention  than  that  which 
deals  with  mere  occasion  :  let  it  in  any  way  concern — 
if  only  in  appearance — limitation  of  power,  and  the 
matter  will  be  closely  examined  in  order  to  find  out 
what  can  lie  hidden  under  aims  apparently  worthy  and 
calculated  to  benefit  all.  This  mistrust  dulls  the 
sight  even  of  the  sovereign,  who,  in  the  present  case, 
was  generally  well  disposed,  even  not  to  overlook, 
from  lack  of  sympathy,  the  interests  of  art :  his 
troubled  look,  his  involuntarily  biassed  judgment,  are 
directed  to  the  one  thing  which  can  give  a  firm  and 
tangible  hold,  and  this  is  again  here  the  personality 
the  personality  of  the  courtier,  who  if  not  perhaps 
in  his  individual  inclination,  yet  in  his  position  of 
honour,  as  member  of  a  privileged  corporation,  feels 
himself  aggrieved  by  that  proposition.  This  courtier 
may  have  thought  of  resigning  his  position  in  the 
art  institution,  but  feels  compelled,  by  remaining  in 
it,  to  offer  himself  as  a  sacrifice,  so  soon  as  he 
reflects  that  he,  as  a  personage,  is  expected  to  give 
way,  not  to  another  personage  equally  qualified,  but 
to  the  deliberate  dictum  that  all  personages  of  his 
rank  are  incapable. 

But  to  the  sovereign  it  must  appear  doubly  hazard- 
ous by  a  definite  act  to  place  in  doubt  what  belongs 
by  birth  and  arbitrary  destiny  to  the  courtier — the 
capability  of  doing  anything  for  which  hitherto  he  has 
been  judged  capable.  To  what  indeed — in  Heaven's 


TO    UHLIG.  63 

name — would  it  lead,  if  the  destiny,  fixed  by  birth, 
that  is  by  the  grace  of  God,  of  certain  special  men 
to  exercise  any  one  privilege  should  be  called  in 
question  ?  Well  considered,  everything  is  possible  to 
the  sovereign,  short  of  the  disowning  of  his  courtier ; 
so  this  one  thing  is  settled — the  courtier  must  remain. 
What  ought  to  be  done  now  to  further,  in  spite  of 
all,  the  interests  of  art  ?  Mark  you — nothing  !  Now, 
as  there  is  nothing  to  be  done,  it  becomes  clearer 
than  ever  that  from  the  very  beginning  there  was 
really  nothing  to  do — that  restless  heads  only  hatched 
chimeras,  gave  themselves  up  to  fantastic  humours  ; 
yes,  rightly  considered,  therein  only  pursued  quite 
personal  interests,  as,  for  example,  to  become  intend- 
ants  themselves.  Now,  God's  name  be  praised  !  the 
tricks  of  this  vanity  and  boundless  selfishness  have 
been  found  out,  the  mask  of  love  for  art  has  been 
torn  down,  and  it  is  now  quite  clear  that  the  enthusi- 
astic reformer  only  wished  to  receive  an  increase  of 
salary  !  Tilings  remain  on  their  old  footing.  Whither 
am  I  losing  myself,  best  friend !  I  seemed  suddenly  as 
if  clothed  again  in  my  court  uniform,  and  that  happened 
to  me  in  sight  of  the  bare,  free  Alps  !  Now,  this  court 
uniform  is  pulled  off:  one  arm  was  still  sticking  in  it 
when  I  drew  up  that  paper  on  reform,  and  that  I  was 
not  clear  of  the  whole  thing  at  that  time  is  the  principal 
fault  in  the  paper  :  the  stiff  embroidery  got  in  my  way 
when  writing.  I  felt  like  our  constitutional  members,. 
who,  if  it  came  into  their  heads  to  construct  a  pianoforte, 
would  not  trouble  two  straws  as  to  whether  the  keys 
could  be  pressed  down  or  the  chords  made  to  sound,  so 
long  as  the  constitutional  pegs  were  firmly  hammered 


64  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

in  due  row,  and  tightened  according  to  rule.  How  these 
childish  maniacs  rejoice  again  in  these  days,  when  in 
Electoral  Hesse  the  pegs  stand  gloriously  firm,  like 
German  oaks,  although  keys  and  chords,  prince  and 
people  of  the  electorate,  are  running  away  from  each 
other  !  My  constitutional  proposal  of  reform  is  just 
such  a  row  of  pegs  :  as  a  curiosity  I  merrily  fling  them 
over  to  you,  and  trust  to  the  sound  of  the  beautiful 
human  voice,  which,  without  keys,  chords,  or  pegs, 
will  begin  to  sound  if  one  no  longer  hammers  on 
rattling  pianos. 

You  know  that  I  no  longer  think  of  reform  ;  but 
that  certain  persons  may  clearly  see  why,  it  would 
perhaps  be  advisable  for  them  carefully  to  read  and 
examine  that  document.  They  will  then  recognize 
what  inconceivable  trouble  he,  who  as  a  revolutionist, 
is  now  a  horror  to  them,  gave  himself,  in  order,  while 
public,  and  specially  art  affairs,  were  in  the  worst  possible 
state,  to  achieve  the  possible  in  a  peaceful  way — that  is 
the  essential  in  its  mildest  form — so  as  to  bring  about  a 
prosperous  working  of  art  for  itself,  and  in  connection 
with  citizen  life.  All  errors  which  are  to  be  found 
in  my  document  proceed  from  the  fact  that  I  really 
desired  the  impossible ;  the  impossible,  namely,  in  the 
sense  disclosed  by  the  result.  When  our  court  actors 
petitioned  His  Majesty  for  a  continuation  of  the  present 
conditions  of  the  Court  theatre,  this,  on  the  whole, 
did  not  much  mislead  me :  I  only  recognized  clearly 
to  what  pitiableness  that  state  of  things  which  I  was 
attacking  had  reduced  my  companions,  and  I  could 
only  hope  to  see  them  raised  to  more  human  and  art- 
like  dignity  as  soon  as  the  state  of  things  had  been 


TO    UHLIG.  65 

brought  to  pass  in  which,  by  their  pitiableness,  they 
could  only  do  harm  to  one  another.  But  when  I  saw 
how  that  expansion  of  the  leathern  armour,  of  which 
I  spoke  to  you  above,  was  only  a  movement  of  anxiety, 
how  that  suppressed  throb  of  the  heart  was  only  the  life 
of  fear ;  when  anxiety  and  fear  had  again  tightly  drawn 
this  armour  into  an  iron  harness,  when  these  lowest 
of  all  sensations  turned  the  most  soft-hearted  and 
most  good-natured  men  behind  that  harness  into  cold 
cruel  beasts,  then,  at  any  rate,  I  had  opportunity  to 
reflect  in  detail  on  the  nature  of  things,  which  in 
their  endlessly  ramified  loathsome  connection  constitute 
the  essence  of  the  present  time;  and,  among  other  effects, 
were  also  the  cause  why  my  well-intentioned  document 
on  reform  slumbered  peacefully  in  the  desk  of  a 
simple  ex-March-minister.  May  this  then  be  placed 
as  a  piece  of  literature  before  the  reading-loving 
public  :  as  a  document  forming  part  of  the  history  of 
our  most  noble  constitutionalism  (what  a  grand  word 
this  is  !)  it  may  not  play  altogether  a  bad  role.  To  my 
practical  opponents  it  may  serve  to  show  that  now  I 
am  much  more  practically  disposed,  in  no  longer 
adhering  to  plans  which  at  first  sight  may  not  perhaps 
appear  to  them  so  unpractical  as  my  present  disbelief 
in  all  reforms,  and  my  belief  only  in  revolution. 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 
ZURICH,  September  i8th,  '50. 

1 6. 

BEST  AND  DEAREST  FRIEND  AND  COMRADE, 

I  have  long  been  waiting  for  a  letter  from  you, 
and  yet  always  in  vain.     Therefore  I  think  it  best  to 

5 


66  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

write  what  I  have  fresh  to  tell  you,  so  that — in  case  your 
letter  still  fails  to  come — you  may  receive  this  for  the 
present.     So  I  go  at  once  to  the  "  business" !     Formerly 
Heine  asked  me  to  allow  my  paper  on  the  reform  of  the 
Dresden  theatre  and  band  to  be  printed.     Now  I  have 
read  your  mention  of  the  same  in  the  notice  of  my 
writings    in    the    Zeitschrift  fiir  Mustk.     Lively  recol- 
lections of  that  former  time  came  to  me  making  clear 
the  point  of  view  of  our  constitutional  reformers,  whose 
partial,  and  quite  possible,  conversion  is  occasionally  a 
point  of  honour  with  me,  good-gatured  devil  as  I  am  ! 
Well,   I  thought  that  the  appearance  of  my  plan   of 
reform,  together  with  the  story  of  its  fate,  might  perhaps 
not  have  a  bad  effect  on  them,  and  so,  within  the  last 
few  days,  I  have  drawn  up — in  form  of  a  letter  to  a 
Dresden  friend — a  preface  to  the  intended  publication 
of  my  paper,  which  possibly  may  have  somewhat  of  a 
spicy  flavour.      I  now  send  you  this  preface,  and  at  the 
same  time  a  letter  of  Oberlander's,  who  will  hand  over 
the  manuscript  to  you.    Reflect  carefully  over  the  matter, 
and  then  if  you  think  it  suitable  to  bring  the  matter  to 
light,  inquire    at    the    publishers  whether  this  can  be 
done  decently.     If  you  wish  to  set  Wigand  entirely 
aside,  inquire  in  my  name  at  J.  J.  Weber's  in  Leipzig 
(the  publisher  of  Devrient's  book,  which  did  well)  ;  if  he 
won't,  then  perhaps  at  Kori's,  in  Dresden,  etc.     Anyhow, 
I  leave  everything  to  you,   on   the   understanding,   of 
course,  that  you  are  willing  to  trouble  about  the  matter. 
If  it  were  possible  to  obtain  any  honorarium  for  me,  I 
should    much  like    it ;    my  state    of  finance  is    rather 
wretched.     Liszt    spoke    to    me   previously    about    an 
honorarium  of  thirty  louis  d'or  for  Lohengrin — instead 


TO    UHLIG.  67 

of  which  I  had  altogether  only  130  thalers.  Further, 
he  announced  to  me  that  !•  should  receive  a  com- 
mission to  write  Siegfried  for  Weimar,  and  be  paid 
beforehand  enough  to  keep  me  alive  undisturbed  until 
the  work  was  finished.  Until  now,  they  preserve  there 
the  most  stubborn  silence.  Whether  I  should  give 
Siegfried  to  Weimar,  intending  it  to  be  produced  there, 
is  after  all  a  question  which,  as  matters  now  stand,  I 
could  probably  only  answer  with  an  unqualified  No  !  I 
need  not  begin  to  assure  you  that  I  really  abandoned 
Lohengrin  when  I  permitted  its  production  at  Weimar. 
I  certainly  received  a  letter  yesterday  from  Zigesar, 
which  informed  me  that  the  second  performance — 
given,  through  somewhat  energetic  remonstrance  on  my 
part,  only  after  most  careful  rehearsals,  and  without 
cuts — was  a  wonder  of  success  and  of  effect  on  the 
public,  and  that  it  was  perfectly  clear  that  it  was  and 
would  remain  a  "  draw."  Yet  I  need  not  give  you  my 
further  reasons  when  I  declare  that  I  should  like  to 
send  Siegfried  into  the  world  in  different  fashion  from 
that  which  would  be  possible  to  the  good  people  there. 
With  regard  to  this,  I  am  busy  with  wishes  and  plans 
which,  at  first  look,  seem  chimerical,  yet  these  alone  give 
me  the  heart  to  finish  Siegfried.  To  realize  the  best, 
the  most  decisive,  the  most  important  work  which, 
under  the  present  circumstances,  I  can  produce — in 
short,  the  accomplishment  of  the  conscious  mission  of 
my  life — needs  a  matter  of  perhaps  10,000  thalers.  If 
I  could  ever  command  such  a  sum  I  would  arrange 
thus  : — here,  where  I  happen  to  be,  and  where  many 
a  thing  is  far  from  bad — I  would  erect,  after  my  own 
plans,  in  a  beautiful  field  near  the  town,  a  rough  theatre 


68  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

of  planks  and  beams,  and  merely  furnish  it  with  the 
decorations  and  machinery  necessary  for  the  production 
of  Siegfried.  Then  I  would  select  the  best  singers  to  be 
found  anywhere,  and  invite  them  for  six  weeks  to  Zurich. 
I  would  try  to  form  a  chorus  here  consisting,  for  the 
most  part,  of  amateurs  ;  there  are  splendid  voices  here, 
and  strong,  healthy  people.  I  should  invite  in  the  same 
way  my  orchestra.  At  the  new  year,  announcements  and 
invitations  to  all  the  friends  of  the  musical  drama  would 
appear  in  all  the  German  newspapers,  with  a  call  to  visit 
the  proposed  dramatic  musical  festival.  Any  one  giving 
notice,  and  travelling  for  this  purpose  to  Zurich,  would 
receive  a  certain  entree — naturally,  like  all  the  entrees, 
gratis.  Besides,  I  should  invite  to  a  performance  the 
young  people  here,  the  university,  the  choral  unions. 
When  everything  was  in  order  I  should  arrange,  under 
these  circumstances,  for  three  performances  of  Siegfried 
in  one  week.  After  the  third  the  theatre  would  be  pulled 
down,  and  my  score  burnt.  To  those  persons  who  had 
been  pleased  with  the  thing  I  should  then  say,  "  Now 
do  likewise."  But  if  they  wanted  to  hear  something  new 
from  me,  I  should  say,  "  You  get  the  money ! "  Well, 
do  I  seem  quite  mad  to  you  ?  It  may  be  so,  but  I 
assure  you  to  attain  this  end  is  the  hope  of  my  life, 
the  prospect  which  alone  can  tempt  me  to  take  in 
hand  a  work  of  art.  So — get  me  10,000  thalers — 
that's  all ! 

— But  now  let  us  turn  from  fiction  to  fact.  I  do  not 
think  that  I  could  seriously  set  to  work  at  the  music  of 
Siegfried  this  winter.  First  of  all,  winter  in  itself  is 
my  deadly  enemy ;  secondly,  I  shall  probably  have 
many  not  very  elevating  hindrances.  You  know  that  I 


TO    UIILIG.  69 

have  become  surety  for  X.'s  music-directorship  at  the 
theatre  here  ;  I  am  therefore  compelled  to  trouble  about 
the  theatre  all  through  the  winter.  Besides,  I  have 
set  on  foot  a  special  fund  for  the  establishment  of  a 
better  orchestra,  and  should — if  this  answer  expectation 
— feel  compelled  to  trouble  about  the  matter.  So  I 
reckon  not  to  be  able  to  attack  my  important  artistic 
work  before  the  spring.  (In  the  spring  of  1852,  perhaps 
with  a  rush,  the  performance  might  take  place,  if  some 
rich  man  or  other,  between  this  and  then,  has  made 
me  a  present  of  the  10,000  thalers.)  I  am  therefore 
thinking,  this  autumn  and  winter,  of  doing  some  literary 
work.  All  generalities  in  art  are,  for  the  moment, 
repugnant  to  me ;  no  one  understands  them  until 
his  nose  is  driven  into  particulars.  Now  my  particular 
work  would  be  music,  and,  above  all,  opera.  Brendel, 
so  I  hear,  is  printing  Das  Judenthum,  and  places  his 
paper  at  my  disposal.  Through  you  and  K.  he  has 
hinted  something  about  an  honorarium ;  I  see  well  I 
must  be  satisfied  with  what  he  gives  me,  and  my 
great  wish  is  that  he  give  something.  Will  he  pay 
me  a  fee  for  Das  Judcnthtim  ?  Forgive  me  this  Jewish 
question,  but  it  is  the  very  fault  of  the  Jews  that  I 
have  to  think  of  every  farthing  profit.  In  any  case,  I 
will  send  you  shortly  rather  a  long  article  on  modern 
opera, — about  Rossini  and  Meyerbeer.— 

Within  the  past  few  days,  I  have  had  a  great  joy. 
Feuerbach  wrote  to  me,  and  once  more  I  have  had 
the  good  fortune  to  experience  what  it  is  to  have  to 
do  with  a  really  genuine  fellow*.  There  is  no  "  however," 
and  "  but ; "  he  says  straight  out,  plain  and  plump, 
what  he  had  already  written  to  Wigand  at  Leipzig — 


/o  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

who,  by  the  way,  told  me  nothing  about  it — namely, 
"  that  he  failed  to  understand  how  there  could  be  two 
opinions  about  my  book;  that  he  had  read  it, /with 
enthusiasm,  with  rapture,  and  must  assure  me  of  his 
deepest  sympathy  and  warmest  thanks."  I  asked 
Kolatschek  why  on  earth  then  he  should  have  had  my 
book  reviewed  by  an  ass. 

One  thing  more  !  The  Zeitschrift  fiir  Musik  always 
comes  here  very  late  (by  carrier),  and  irregularly. 
Your  excellent — not  because  it  is  of  use  to  me,  but 
indeed  to  the  asses — article  on  my  writings  up  to  the 
notice  of  Kunst  und  Revolution,  has  only  just  come  into 
my  hands.  Do  see  that  Brendel  sends  me  a  copy 
directly  through  the  post.  I  will  pay  the  postage — that 
is,  of  course,  understood  ! — 

So !  Now  I  have  chatted  out  what  concerns  me ; 
about  what  concerns  you  I  intentionally  say  nothing 
to-day,  for  I  must  first  hear  all  about  it  from  you  your- 
self. I  am  anxiously  awaiting  this  letter  from  you 
about  yourself;  then  more  on  the  subject! — Go  and  see 
our  good  Frau  R.,  and  tell  her  something  about  me.  In 
any  case,  I  will  soon  write  to  her  myself.  In  advance, 
I  already  regret  that  I  shall  have  nothing  suitable  to 
write  to  her ;  in  fact,  nothing  suitable  in  what  concerns 
her  and  her  family,  for  it  really  seems  as  if  for  a  long 
time  to  come  I  shall  have  to  write  to  her.  I  have 
really  no  clear  insight  into  her  situation,  and  can,  there- 
fore, in  what  concerns  her,  only  fumble  about  in  a 
superficial  manner,  which  often  gives  me  a  painful 
impression,  as  though  I  were  troubling  her  with  my 
wishes  and  propositions.  I  salute  her  with  my  whole 
heart. 


TO    UHLIG.  7  [ 

If  I  have  forgotten  anything  to-day,  I  will  set  it  right 
when  I  answer  your  next  letter. 

So   farewell,    dear,    dear    fellow,    and    keep    me    in 
friendly  remembrance. 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

September  2Oth,  '50. 


K.  no  longer  lives  with  me.  Address  (for  prudence' 
sake)  again  to  "  Fraulein  Natalie  Planer  (bei  Frau 
Hirzel),  Sternengasse  in  Enge,  Zurich." 

I  am  deeply  moved  at  your  journey  to  Weimar,  and 
also  very  glad  that  K.  has  found  you  well. 
Not  to  be  overlooked : — 

When  you  are  arranging  about  the  printing  of  the 
manuscript  on  Theatre  Reform,  one  condition  must  be 
thoroughly  fulfilled  for  me — I  must  receive  here,  in 
convenient  time,  a  complete  proof  for  correction.  It  is 
most  essential  that  I  should  be  able  to  look  once  through 
the  whole  before  it  comes  out,  to  be  able  to  make, 
perhaps,  even  small  alterations — perhaps  only  to  indi- 
cate something  to  be  omitted.  You  yourself  might 
even  make  one  change  in  the  manuscript  before  it  is 
printed,  namely,  towards  the  end,  in  which  mention 
is  made  of  the  order  of  installation.  I  have,  I  believe, 
left  in  this  manuscript  the  provision  that  the  conductor 
should  be  appointed  by  the  ministry.  If  it  had  come  to 
the  point  I  should  have  reserved  to  myself  the  right  of 
insisting  that  he  should  also  be  chosen  by  the  corporation. 
— So  change  ! — You  will  find  marginal  queries,  which  I 


72  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

have  also  answered  in  the  margin.  Well,  all  this 
naturally  will  be  left  out.  For  printing  it  would  per- 
haps be  economical  if,  in  the  reform  of  the  orchestra, 
those  rather  long  sections  which  contain  no  specialities 
or  calculations,  were  printed  in  smaller  type. 

Title. 

Plan  for  the  institution  of  a  National  Theatre  for  the 

Kingdom  of  Saxony, 

Delivered  in  the  spring  of  the  year  1848,  to  the 

Saxon  Ministers  of  the  Interior  and  of  Public  Worship, 

by  Richard  Wagner. 

And  one  thing  more  ! — 

Can  you  tell  me  offhand  of  any  poor  devils  in 
Dresden,  whom  God  in  His  righteous  anger  against 
the  human  race  has  made  players  on  stringed  instru- 
ments, and  who,  to  stave  off  this  anger  from  them 
through  a  winter — five  to  six  months — travelling 
money  being  allowed  and  a  monthly  salary  of  forty 
Swiss  francs,  i.e.,  fifteen  thalers  (which,  through 
extra  receipts — concerts — might  amount  to  twenty 
thalers),  would  come  here  ?  If  you  do,  let  me  know 
at  once. 

17- 
DEAREST, 

I  write  to  you  to-day  only  hastily  !  I  intended 
doing  so  in  greater  detail  in  a  few  days ;  but  Kolatschek 
gave  me  to-day  a  commission  for  you  which  must  be 
attended  to  now. 

That  is,  Kolatschek  begs  you  to  prepare  as  quickly 
as  possible  a  thoroughly  representative  article  on  my 
operas  (i.e.,  specially  Lohengrin)  for  the  Deufsche 


TO    UHLIG.  73 

Monatsschrift.  It  ought  to  appear  in  the  last  number 
of  October,  and  you  must  therefore  see  that  it  is  in 
Stuttgart  by  October  2Oth.  Moreover,  notice  of  it  is 
sent  from  here  to  the  publishing-house  (Hoffmann's  in 
Stuttgart),  and  you  would  have  to  send  your  article 
there,  when  ready,  by  letter-post,  and  simply,  by  letter, 
to  refer  to  Kolatschek's  order.  I  think  you  will  be  able 
to  knock  up  an  article  by  October  2Oth.  So  much,  for 
the  present,  about  the  commission.  I  was  opposed  to 
it :  but  Kolatschek  proved  to  me  that  in  the  interest 
of  our  party  it  would  be  inexcusable  if  the  Deutsche 
Monatsschrift  did  not  just  come  out  with  something 
substantial  about  the  matter  in  hand,  and  only  re- 
gretted that  it  could  not  have  been  done  sooner.  So 
he  particularly  begs  you,  even  without  being  specially 
prompted  by  him  to  inform  the  Deutsche  Monatsschrift 
of  anything  that  appears  to  you  worthy  of  mention, 
and  to  do  this  as  often  as  a  suitable  opportunity  pre- 
sents itself.  You  have  only  each  time  to  send  a  short 
notice,  something  to  this  effect : — In  so  many  days  I 
shall  forward  a  notice  of  so  and  so — whereupon  Kolat- 
schek will  send  instructions  to  Stuttgart ;  you  would 
only  have  each  time  to  send  directly  to  that  place. 

Already  Kolatschek  wished  to  fix  upon  one  of  your 
old  articles  for  the  number  of  the  1st  of  November 
(from  now  the  Monatsschrift  will  appear  in  fortnightly 
numbers) ;  consequently  he  had  scarcely  any  desire  to 
put  your  article  again  into  your  hands  for  revision. 
Anyhow  he  will  yield  to  your  wishes,  and  in  any  case 
write  to  you. — With  regard  to  the  non-appearance 
hitherto  of  the  article  he  begs — and  is — to  be  excused. 
As  we  have  got  on  to  the  subject  of  literary  work,  listen 


74  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

to  the  following  : — Give  up  the  attempt  to  publish  my 
article  on  reform  !  that  means  this  much  :  I  have  deter- 
mined to  let  the  document  rest  as  it  is  and  not  to  make 
it  public,  (i)  I  could  not  do  this  without  the  preface, 
which  I  lately  sent  you ;  now  I  fear  no  one  in  the  world, 
but  I  would  willingly  spare  the  feelings  of  any  one  who 
wishes  me  well,  even  though  he  be  narrow-minded.  My 
friendly  intendant  at  Weimar  (a  thoroughly  good  soul) 
would  just  now  feel  unhappy  at  my  description  of  the 
courtier.  I  should  be  sorry  just  now  to  cut  him  to 
the  heart !  (2)  The  document,  after  all,  has  no  further 
interest !  You  can  show  the  manuscript  to  any  one  in 
Dresden  who  takes  an  interest  in  it.  (3)  J.  J.  Weber  at 
Leipzig  wTho  would  be  most  likely  to  take  it,  must  shortly 
do  me  other  service. — My  would-be  article  on  opera  is 
becoming  rather  a  voluminous  piece  of  writing,  and 
will  perhaps  not  be  much  less  in  size  than  the  Kunst- 
werk  der  Zukunft.  I  have  decided  to  offer  this  writing 
under  the  title,  "Das  Wesen  der  Oper"  to  J.  J.  Weber ; 
so  we  will  not  use  up  the  man. —  I  have  only  finished 
the  first  half;  unfortunately  I  am  now  quite  hindered 
from  continuing  the  work.  Every  day  I  must  hold 
rehearsals,  and,  besides,  conduct  the  orchestra  myself, 
as  X.  is  not  getting  on  very  quickly.  In  a  month  I 
hope  to  be  able  gradually  to  withdraw  myself  from  the 
theatre.  For  a  wonder,  this  time  we  have  got  very 
good  singers  !  — 

Stop  !  I  must  come  to  an  end !  The}'  are  already 
waiting  for  me — so  you  must  be  satisfied  for  to-day. 
Shortly  I  will  write  more,  especially  about  your  water- 
opinions  !  I  only  drink  water  when  I  thirst  after  it, 
and  yet  I  am  far  less  sanguine  than  you.  What  do 


TO    UHLIG.  75 

you  expect  then  ?  Be  true,  mercilessly  true  ;  rejoice 
in  truth  for  its  own  sake ;  thus  will  you  have  enough 
for  the  present !  We  shall  not  set  matters  right,  but 
what  of  it  ?  Shall  we,  too,  on  that  account,  begin  to 
tell  lies  ?  How  I  rejoice  now  that  the  hollowness  and 
nothingness  of  political  life  and  art-doings  are  ever 
becoming  more  evident  !  All  men  know  now  that  they 
are  thoroughly  contemptible  ! 

Is  that  not  then  enough  for  the  present  ?  Only  think 
that  a  few  years  ago  no  one  had  any  suspicion  of  it ! 
To  the  Dresden  journalist  I  can  only  say :  "  Fellow,  you 
lie  and  deceive!"  Well,  more  soon.  Also  to  Frau  R. 
Farewell,  you  water-man  ! 

Your 

RICHARD  W. 

ZURICH,  October  gth,  '50. 


18. 

DEAREST  BROTHER, 

I  break  in  upon  a  morning,  at  this  time  most 
precious  to  me  in  my  literary  work,  in  order  to  write  to 
you. 

In  the  first  place,  Kolatschek  begs  you,  since  you 
could  not  get  the  article  in  question  ready  for  the  second 
October  number,  at  least  to  finish  it  in  time  for  the  first 
November  number.  For  this  purpose  you  must,  in  any 
case,  send  it  to  Stuttgart  by  the  8th  of  November.  If 
by  any  chance  this  is  impossible,  you  are  requested  to 
let  Kolatschek  know  so  that  he  may  have  time  to  write 
to  Stuttgart  and  make  other  arrangements. 

Liszt  will  send  me  shortly  a  copy  of  his  big  article  on 


76  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Lohengrin  for  the  Journal  des  De'bats,  so  that  a  good 
translation  of  it  may  be  made  under  my  supervision, 
and  this  he  will  have  printed  in  several  numbers  of 
the  Augsburger  Allgemeine  Zeitung,  as  compensation 
for  the  Dingelstedt  nonsense.  This  restless  striving 
of  Liszt  to  kindle  with  devilish  power  the  fire  of  my 
fame  touches  me  deeply.  The  Weimar  people  think 
by  their  cunning  care  to  be  able  to  open  up  a  path 
for  me  to  the  great  public :  three  performances  of 
Lohengrin  have  taken  place,  and  in  consequence  of  the 
success  the  intendant  there  joyfully  expresses  to  me  his 
conviction,  that  quite  the  same  popularity  is  assured  to 
this  opera  in  Weimar  as  Tannhduser  has  won.  They 
therefore  all  believe,  that  only  small  concessions  on  my 
part  and  zealous  propagation  on  theirs  are  necessary 
soon  to  place  the  whole  German  opera-public  at  my 
disposal.  I  presume  that  I  appear  to  them  stark  mad, 
if  in  return  for  such  announcements  I  obstinately 
assure  them  that  they  are  in  error  about  something 
which  appears  to  me  quite  impossible. 

—I  must  take  this  opportunity  of  telling  you  that 
Liittichau  has  demanded  back  from  Weimar  the  score 
of  Lohengrin,  which  he  pretends  he  has  only  lent  to 
them,  but  certainly  did  not  sell.  I  am  racking  my  brain 
to  know  what  that  means ;  perhaps  you  will  be  able  to 
explain  the  matter  to  me. 

Last  week  I  could  not  get  hold  of  the  Neue  Zeitschrift 
fiir  Musik,  so  do  not  know  the  replies  about  which  you 
write.  In  any  case  I  have  no  inclination  to  go  in  for 
much  scribbling  about  the  matter ;  on  the  contrary,  I 
have  a  damned  short  answer  all  ready — in  fact,  out 
of  the  New  Testament,  which  I  know  well  by  heart.— 


TO    UHLIG.  77 

Also   I    have   not   yet    seen  the   continuation  of  your 
Lohengrin  article. — 

I  cannot  remember  at  alt  what  I  may  have  once  told 
you  about  Otto's  continuing  to  compose.     With  regard 
to    Hiller's   Konradin   1    recall    the    following   circum- 
stance.    After  I  had  offered  thoroughly  well-grounded 
criticisms  to  Hiller  with  regard  to  the  choice  of  poem  in 
his  Traum  in  dcr  Christnacht,  and  after  he  had  confessed 
that  these  criticisms  were  just,  he  begged  me  to  help 
him  with  my  advice  in  the   choice   of  a  new  subject. 
When   I   learnt  later  on  that  he   was  pondering  over 
Konradin  with  Reinecke,  I  expressed  in  a  general  way 
to  him  my  doubts  as  to  this  subject,  but  remarked,  that 
in  any  case  very  much  would  depend  upon  the  manner 
in  which  it  was  conceived  and  developed  as  a  poem  ; 
wherefore  I  offered  to  give  further  opinion  as  soon  as 
he  confided  the  sketch  to  me.     I  remained  a  long  time 
without   learning  anything,  until  at  last   I  heard  that 
the  verses  were  written,  and  that  Hiller  was  at  work 
setting  them  to   music.     I  presumed   that  I  was   mis- 
trusted, and  mixed  no  more  in  the  matter,  until  finally 
Hiller,  of  his  own  accord,  candidly  confessed   that  he 
feared  the  poem  would  not  please  me,  and  that  I  might 
probably  raise   such  solid  objections  as  to  take  away 
from  him  all  inclination  to  compose  if  he  came  to  know 
them ;  he  therefore  held  it  better  to  remain  in  conscious 
error  about  his  project,  so  that,  at  any  rate,  he  might 
succeed  in  writing  an  opera,  which  might  be  deferred — 
Heaven  knows  how  long — were  he  to  wait  for  a  poem 
which  appeared  to  him  perfectly  worth  setting  to  music. 
— That  is  the  Hiller  story. — 

I  send  you  herewith  an   explanation  of  mine  out  of 


7  8  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

the  papers  here,  which  will  make  clear  to  you  my 
position  with  regard  to  the  theatre  ;  perhaps  you  can 
make  some  use  of  it.  Strange  to  say,  the  interest  I 
have  taken  in  the  opera  here  has  in  any  case  resulted  in 
something  quite  different  from  that  which  I  first  intended. 
You  know  X.  wished  to  become  musical  director ;  he 
paid  no  heed  to  my  remonstrances,  and  I  wrote  to  the 
manager  of  the  theatre;  He  at  once  offered  me  two 
hundred  francs  a  month  if  I  would  undertake  the  direction 
of  the  music  myself,  with  liberty  to  call  in  the  assistance 
of  X.  at  my  pleasure.  I  declined  the  offer.  I  regarded 
the  whole  theatre  business  merely  as  a  scratch  affair, 
enabling  X.  to  learn  how  to  conduct.  At  the  first 
rehearsal  I  was  struck  with  the  singers ;  a  tenor,  in  my 
opinion,  next  to  Tichatschek,  the  best  in  all  Germany, 
and  of  whom  I  know  with  certainty  that  he  would  be 
receiving  very  high  terms  from  the  great  theatres,  if 
their  stupid  managers  had  sought  him  out,  instead  of 
waiting,  as  they  are  known  to  do,  until  the  pigeons 
fall  ready  roasted  into  their  jaws.  He  lacks  the 
mellowness  of  Tichatschek's  voice,  but  makes  up  for 
this  by  a  noble  manly  presence,  and  a  pleasant,  safe 
manner  on  the  stage.  In  his  style  of  singing,  which  is 
at  the  same  time  energetic,  brilliant,  and  agreeable,  I 
have  only  to  regret  the  drawbacks  which  of  necessity 
have  become  common  amongst  us  through  the  singing 
of  the  translated  foreign  operas. 

In  addition  to  this  tenor  I  found  a  very  good,  highly 
gifted  lady  vocalist,  with  a  full  sounding  voice  of  extended 
compass,  and  with  sound  style ;  and,  besides  these  two, 
a  baritone  with  a  fine  voice,  energetic  acting,  and  most 
characteristic,  noble  facial  expression.  Everything  else 


TO    UHLTG.  79 

quite  tolerable  at  a  pinch,  the  orchestra — recently  en- 
gaged— very  good  and  in  tune,  only  unduly  weak  in  the 
matter  of  strings.  In  short,  I  could  not  leave  it  to  X.'s 
nervousness  to  introduce  these  artists  to  the  public  :  I 
conducted  myself,  and  again  did  so  at  a  second  per- 
formance. By  this  the  affairs  of  the  theatre  took  quite 
a  different  turn.  The  theatre  having  formerly  been  so 
bad,  persons  of  rank  had  quite  given  up  the  habit  of 
attending,  so  that,  for  the  present,  they  cannot  be 
reckoned  on.  On  the  other  hand,  my  recommendation 
has  drawn  to  the  theatre  a  section  of  the  public  which 
everywhere  scarcely  gives  any  heed  now  to  the  theatre, 
and  they  are  the  only  ones  who  are  of  moment  to  persons 
like  ourselves  nowadays,  namely,  the  really  cultivated, 
not  the  plutocracy.  It  has  delighted  me  with  slender 
outward  means  to  bring  about  all  results  solely  by  the 
delicate  and  the  drastic  effect  of  genuine  representation, 
and  that  was  naturally  something  quite  new.  To  be  brief, 
let  me  tell  you,  that  quite  imperceptibly  the  show  has 
become  an  institution  in  which  my  public  seeks  nothing 
but  real  art-enjoyment,  and  I  find  myself  in  the  droll 
dilemma  how  to  get  quite  clear  of  the  matter  and 
yet  respond  to  the  good  feeling  aroused.  I  am  un- 
commonly loath  to  withdraw  from  the  direction,  as 
unfortunately  the  attention  of  the  public  is  too  much 
occupied  with  my  action  in  the  matter ;  and,  under  exist- 
ing circumstances,  I  cannot  leave  the  performance  to  the 
director  appointed  by  myself,  until  I  can  assure  myself, 
the  artists,  and  the  public  that  he  has  grown  fully  equal 
to  his  task. 

But  I  must  withdraw,  because  with  the  best  will  in 
the  world  I  do  not  see  how  a  repertoire  can  be  kept  up 


8o  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

which  should  prevent  that  being  pulled  down  on  the 
one  side,  which  I  am  building  up  on  the  other.  Up  to 
now  I  have  chosen  only  operas  which  I  know  could  be 
properly  performed,  not  by  luxurious  means — which 
are  wanting  here — but  only  by  that  which  is  to  hand  ; 
such  as  Freischutz  and  La  Dame  blanche.  Then  there 
remain  three  Mozart  operas — perhaps  Euryanthe — and 
the  few  operas  of  the  French  school  up  to  Boildieu, 
i.e.,  by  Mehul,  Cherubini,  etc.  The  principal  misfor- 
tune of  our  theatre  is  just  this,  that  year  after  year 
performances  are  continually  being  given ;  so  that  not 
the  cause  itself,  but  custom  is  thought  of,  and  the 
institution  which  can  only  be  maintained  in  this 
manner.  If  the  public — which  I  certainly  hope — en- 
courage the  theatre,  I  shall  always  take  a  leading 
interest  in  it. 

I  say  nothing  here  about  all  aesthetic  scruples  excited 
in  you  and  in  others  by  my  declarations  and  works  on 
art,  as  in  my  Wesen  der  Oper — which  I  hope  to  be  able 
to  send  you  in  a  month's  time — I  intend  to  discuss 
everything  thoroughly  and  exhaustively.  I  shall  even 
be  compelled  to  pass  judgment  on  my  former  operas. 
The  book  is  becoming  somewhat  bulky.  I  cannot  tell 
you  more  about  it  to-day. 

But  let  me  say  something  about  your  water-cure  ! 
First  of  all,  I  acknowledge,  that  you  are  wise  in  your 
diet,  and  that  I  am  indescribably  glad  that  it  suits  your 
constitution  so  well :  it  is  most  certain  that  only  radical 
water-cure  can  help  us  out  of  the  most  unnatural  state 
of  bodily;  health.  Want  of  sound  nourishment  on  the 
one  hand,  excess  of  luxurious  enjoyment  on  the  other 
hand,  but  especially  a  mode  of  living  quite  contrary  to 


TO    UHLTG.  8  I 

nature,  have  brought  us  into  a  degenerate  condition 
which  can  only  be  got  rid  of  by  entire  renovation  of 
our  deformed  organism.  Superfluity  and  privation  : 
these  are  the  two  destroying  enemies  of  our  present 
humanity.  Give  yourself  the  trouble  first  of  all 
thoroughly  to  seek  out  what  we  have  to  understand 
by  superfluity,  and  you  will  certainly  find  that  everything 
is  superfluous  which  the  walls  of  a  town  surround, 
and  truly,  not  only  that  which  swallows  up  the  super- 
fluity, but  also  that  which  produces  it.  All  we  who  live 
in  a  town  are  condemned  to  the  most  cheerless  suicide. 
How  is  it  then  with  the  inhabitants  of  our  villages  ? 
Among  them  is  not  all  striving  from  deprivation  to 
superfluity  ?  Excessive  work  corrupts  men  here  just 
as  well  as  in  towns,  and  to  such  a  degree  that  they 
cherish  the  same  longing  for  superfluity  which  makes 
idle  rest — the  only  contrast  to  excessive  work  which 
they  are  capable  of  comprehending — seem  to  them 
worthy  to  be  desired.  Only  a  universal  activity  is  a 
pleasure  thoroughly  satisfying  in  and  for  itself;  but  by 
the  laws  relating  to  property  we  are  all  bound  to  a  special 
activity,  to  an  activity  which  only  discharges  itself  in 
the  direction  of  one  craft,  absorbing  one  of  our  powers 
only,  and  this  one  to  so  high  a  degree,  that  our  total 
capacity  is  consumed  in  it ;  and  so  in  this  one  daily 
occupation  we  perceive  our  physical  ruin,  our  moral 
annihilation,  and  treat  as  our  enemy  the  distasteful, 
loathsome,  bitter  work,  which  we  end  by  confusing 
with  activity  in  general,  and  therefore  only  venture  to 
wish  for  unconditional  idle  rest  in  exchange. 

In    the    country    this    work    is    all    the    more    re- 
pulsive,   since    being     concerned     purely    and    exclu- 

6 


82  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

sively  with  cattle   and    filth,   it    turns    men    into    filthy 
cattle ! 

Whithersoever  we  look  in  the  civilized  world  we 
recognize  the  degeneration  of  man  from  the  causes  here 
assigned.  With  good  reason,  however,  we  can  only 
despair  of  this  world,  if  we  regard  these  causes  as 
necessarily  eternal. 

Now,  as  we  need  a  water-cure  in  order  to  make  our 
bodies  sound,  so  do  we  need  another  cure  to  heal,  i.e., 
to  annihilate  the  conditions  surrounding  our  disease. 
Do  we  then  wish  to  return  to  a  state  of  nature,  do  we 
wish  to  be  able  like  human  animals  to  attain  to  the  age 
of  two  hundred  years  ?  God  forbid  !  Man  is  a  social, 
all-powerful  being  only  through  culture.  Let  us  not 
forget  that  culture  alone  can  enable  us  so  to  enjoy 
as  man  in  his  highest  fulness  can  enjoy.  But  true 
enjoyment  consists  in  compressing  what  is  generally 
worthy  of  enjoyment  into  something  concise  and  par- 
ticular, so  that,  in  a  moment,  we  can  receive  what 
time  and  the  elements  offer  to  us  in  widely  ramified 
connection.  'Who,  in  the  moment  of  enjoyment, 
thinks  of  the  duration  of  this  enjoyment  ?  As  soon 
as  we  think  about  duration  it  is  all  over  with 
happiness.  If  we  fill  our  lives  with  true  contents,  if 
we  rejoice  in  our  activity,  whether  it  be  the  activity 
of  giving  or  of  receiving  enjoyment,  we  shall  never 
have  to  fear  an  end  of  this  activity,  but  it  will 
itself  again  become  an  action.  Whether  we  live  one 
hundred  or  only  thirty  years,  what  does  it  matter, 
if  we  only  live  enjoying  ?  Life  in  itself  is  'only 
abstract;  but  active  enjoyment  is  something.  Believe 
me — through  water  we  become  healthy ;  but  we  arc 


TO    UHLIG.  83 

first  really  healthy  when  we  are   also    able    to    drink 
wine  in  moderation  ! 

My  companions  are  coming :  I  must  now  close ! 
Probably  you  have  enough  for  this  time  !  Farewell, 
and  do  not  play  antics  with  your  light,  lest  you  set 
fire  to  your  bed  ! 

Farewell,  heartiest  greetings  from  your, 

R.  W. 

ZURICH,  October  22nd,  '50. 


19. 

DEAREST  BROTHER, 

What  a  dreadful  fuss  you  are  making  about  me  ! 
If  you  were  a  Jew  one  would  think  that  you  had  so 
much  per  cent,  for  it.  If  I  now  speak  about  myself,  it 
must  be  in  more  modest  terms,  and  certainly  not  from 
affectation. 

I  ought  not  to  write  to  you  just  now,  when  I  am 
somewhat  unstrung.  I  would  rather  have  communi- 
cated my  thoughts  to  you,  if  only  briefly,  when  in  a 
more  sanguine  condition.  I  need  scarcely  tell  you 
that  you  make  a  great  impression  on  me,  that  through 
the  role  which  you  assign  to  me,  I  see  myself,  not 
so  much  rewarded  by  comfortable  ease,  as  kindled 
and  spurred  on  to  activity;  this  I  mention  to  you 
particularly,  to  quiet  you  in  regard  to  myself.  When 
the  looking-glass  of  one's  will  is  thus  held  before 
one,  one  feels  more  prompted  to  acquire  the  power  of 
doing ;  and,  indeed,  I  believe  I  can  only  hope  to  reach 
this  power  by  gaining  myself,  companions  in  order, 
together  with  them,  to  attain  to  true  art,  a  thing 


84  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

most  certainly  impossible  to  the  solitary  worker. 
You  would  not  believe  what  trouble  I  give  myself 
with  this  object,  to  call  forth  full  understanding 
from  all  those  who  only  half  understand  ;  yes,  even 
to  make  myself  intelligible  to  my  enemies  who  do 
not,  or  will  not  understand  me;  and  lastly,  I  rejoice 
merely  because  I  am  always  myself  coming  to  a 
better  understanding.  My  book,  which  now  is  to  be 
called  Oper  und  Drama,  is  not  yet  ready ;  it  will  be 
at  least  twice  as  big  as  the  Kunstwerk  der  Znkunft. 
I  have  still  the  whole  of  December  to  devote  to  the 
conclusion,  and  then  certainly  the  whole  of  January 
for  copying  and  revising.  In  advance  I  can  only 
give  you  the  outline,  (i)  Exposition  of  the  nature 
of  opera  up  to  our  time,  with  the  conclusion,  "  Music 
is  a  reproductive  organism  "  (Beethoven  has  used  it, 
as  it  were,  to  give  birth  to  melody) — therefore  a  female 
one."  (2)  Exposition  of  the  nature  of  the  drama  from 
Shakespeare  up  to  the  present  day ;  conclusion — 
"  the  poetical  sense  is  a  procreative  organism,  and  the 
poetical  purpose  the  fertilising  seed  which  only  comes 
with  the  ardour  of  love,  and  is  the  stimulus  to  the 
fructification  of  the  female  organism  which  must  beget 
the  seed  received  in  love."  (3)  (Here  only  I  begin.) 
"Exposition  of  the  act  of  reproducing  the  poetical  pur- 
pose by  means  of  perfected  tone-speech."  Ah  !  Would 
that  I  had  said  nothing  to  you — for  I  see  after  all  I 
have  really  said  nothing  to  you.  Only  this,  in  addition  ; 
I  have  spared  no  pains  to  be  exact  and  complete;  for 
this  reason  I  at  once  made  up  my  mind  not  to  hurry, 
so  as  not  to  be  superficial.  I  will  still  add  a  diagram ; 
I  am  not  sure  whether  I  shall  put  it  into  my  book. 


TO    UHLIG.  85 

WORD-SPEECH   LITERATURE.     HISTORY. 
UNDERSTANDING. 


Feeling. 

Tone- Speech. 
Lyric. 

Myth. 


Intelligence. 

Word-Tone-Speech. 
Completed  Drama. 

Dramatic  Myth.    , 


Humanity. 

Now  to  yourself !  I  share  your  probable  anger  against 
Kolatschek  for  splitting  up  the  article.  I  have  not  yet 
caught  sight  of  him  so  as  to  take  him  to  task  about  it. 
Concerning  your  other  articles,  you  can  give  yourself 
the  answer  beforehand,  and  indeed  to  this  effect,  that 
they  will  not  appear  in  December.  Hence  about  my 
operas  I  only  know  half  your  opinion.  If  I  were  to 
say,  "  I  thank  you,"  I  should  be  afraid  of  making 
myself  ridiculous ;  but  if  I  were  not  once  to  say,  "  I 
am  glad,"  I  should  rightly  appear  an  ass  to  you. 
Besides,  I  really  don't  know  what  you  dislike  in 


86  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

your  Lohengrin  article  in  the  Zeitschrift  fiir  Musik. 
There  was  one  thing  which  seemed  to  me  perhaps  not  to 
have  satisfied  you,  and  this  was,  at  most,  the  pragmatic 
presentation  of  the  plot ;  for  the  rest  you  have  said 
much  that  is  new  to  me,  or,  at  least,  shown  what  was 
known  to  me  in  a  new,  in  your  own  particular  light,  so 
that  I  can  only  thank  you  heartily  for  it.  You  must  know 
well  that  I  have  learnt  ever  so  much  from  you  ;  in  my 
new  work  I  have  had  occasion  to  quote  you  once. 
Rejoice  at  yourself! — 

I  hear  you  are  again  'Unwell !  Yes;  water  can 
perhaps  help  you  from  within ;  but  does  a  man  only 
live  from  within,  not  also  from  without  ?  And  how  is  it 
there  with  you  ?  Well,  I  am  also  going  through  some 
sort  of  a  water-cure ;  besides  baths  of  a  morning,  I  drink 
cold  water  in  bed.  Now  to-day  let  me  just  hastily 
throw  out  a  suggestion  to  you.  You  cannot  come  and 
settle  in  Zurich,  but  if  you  made  a  real  effort  might  it 
not  be  possible  for  you  to  pay  me  a  visit  in  the 
summer  ?  You  could  live  and  take  your  meals  with 
me  ;  the  journey  and  leave  of  absence  you  could  perhaps 
manage. 

Farewell  for  to-day.  I  am  not  a  Swiss  citizen,  but 
only  a  resident  in  the  community  ;  the  withdrawal  of 
the  character  of  exile  only  depended  upon  that.  Get 
Frau  R.  to  tell  you  about  my  affairs  with  the  theatre. 

Farewell  !    Salute  wife  and  child  from  your 

R.  W. 

(My  wife  has  made  me  a  very  comfortable  new 
dressing-gown.  This  by  way  of  news  to  yours.) 

December  '50. 


TO    UHLTG.  87 

2O. 
BEST  FRIEND, 

How  angry  you  will  be  with  me  for  not  having 
written  at  once — as  you  wished — immediately  after 
receipt  of  the  last  number  of  the  Monatsschrift !  How 
it  happened  I  really  don't  know.  I  only  remember  one 
thing,  that  I  worked  the  whole  forenoon  with  fanatic 
diligence,  and  in  my  lonely  walk  after  dinner,  I  con- 
versed so  constantly  and  in  so  lively  a  manner  with 
you,  that  when  evening  came  it  no  longer  appeared 
necessary  to  write  to  you  ;  and  I  set  to  work  again.  At 
last  I  was  seized  with  a  furious  fit  to  finish  my  book,  so 
as  not  to  write  to  you  until  I  could  send  you  a  part  of 
it  in  a  tidy  copy ;  this  resolution  was  conceived  and 
carried  out.  I  send  you  to-day  the  first  of  three  parts, 
and  intend  to  send  the  second  as  soon  as  I  have  a  tidy 
copy  ready,  and  in  like  manner  the  third,  so  that  you 
may  not  have  all  on  your  hands  at  once,  and  that  your 
head  may  not  get  confused  with  hasty  reading.  You 
will  thus  be  able  to  look  at  my  stuff  at  your  leisure,  and 
you  might  give  it  to  the  R.'s  to  read,  without  causing 
any  delay  in  the  publication.  The  first  part  is  the 
shortest  and  easiest,  perhaps  also  the  most  interesting; 
the  second  goes  deeper,  and  the  third — is  a  piece  of  work 
which — goes  to  the  bottom  of  the  matter.  The  whole 
will  be  a  book  of  from  four  to  five  hundred  pages.  I 
will  communicate  with  you  later  on  about  the  publisher ; 
I  think  we'll  try  J.  J.  Weber  at  Leipzig;  X.  would, 
after  all,  not  take  it ;  besides  he  is  now — as  I  already 
wrote  you — in  bad  odour  :  no  one  will  have  anything 
to  do  with  him. 

Well,  that  is  one   thing  settled  !     Now  about  your 


88  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

article  in  the  Monatsschrift !  I  must  tell  you  quite 
briefly  that  it  has  given  me  great  pleasure,  and  I  thank 
you  for  it.  You  are  of  immense  service  to  me — or  if  you 
prefer  it — to  the  cause,  by  the  sobriety  of  your  concep- 
tion and  by  your  mode  of  presenting  it ;  and  I  know 
this  sobriety  demands  more  strength  and  greater  mastery 
of  the  subject  than  the  fireworks  which,  for  instance, 
Biedenfeld  has  let  off  in  the  Europa  about  me.  I  am 
really  delighted  at  your  articles  which  are  to  appear  in 
the  next  number  of  the  Monatsschrift.  Only  be  firm 
and  indefatigable ;  there  is  a  fearful  lot  still  to  do  ! 

The  greatest  joy  that  you  have  caused  me  is,  how- 
ever, the  clear  prospect  which  you  hold  out  of  paying 
me  a  visit  this  coming  summer.  You  see,  flesh 
and  blood  is  still  the  all-important  thing.  As  I  told 
you,  I  have,  up  to  now,  always  taken  my  walks  here 
with  you.  Everything  is  settled  ;  you  take  the  train 
here  as  far  as  the  Lake  of  Constance  (it  doesn't  cost 
much).  On  Swiss  ground,  on  the  other  bank  of  the  lake 
I  will  await  your  arrival  in  the  steamer ;  then  we  shall 
drive  over  St.  Gall  to  Wattwyl,  there  we  get  out,  and 
go  on  foot  through  the  Toggenburg  country  (heavenly  !) 
to  the  Zurich  lake ;  from  Schmerikon  the  steamer  takes 
us  to  Zurich  to  the  "  Villa  Rienzi,"  as  the  country-house 
in  which  I  live,  close  to  the  lake,  is  called  by  all  my 
friends.  I  am  curious  to  see  if  you  will  miss  Pillnitz  and 
Saxon  Switzerland. — Then  we  shall  take  a  Swiss  friend 
with  us  and  go  for  a  week  among  the  Alps.  You  can 
return  home  via  Strasburg  and  Frankfort : — all  the  way 
by  rail. — I  think  you  can  manage  with  100  thalers  :  if 
you  have  more,  all  the  better — if  not,  you  have  enough. 
Well,  it  will  be  a  happy  time. 


TO    UHLIG.  89 

I  have  now  also  become  half  a  water-man  ;  I  have  at 
once  followed  your  advice  about  the  Neptune  girdle  !  I 
hope  it  will  do  me  good.  Altogether  I  feel  that  I  am 
much  better  than  last  year  :  I  work  hard — i.e.,  for  a  long 
time  at  a  stretch,  and  do  not  appear  the  worse  for  it ; 
it  is  also  an  advantage  to  be  somewhat  quieter  in  my 
home — i.e.,  clearer,  more  discreet,  more  intelligent— or 
whatever  you  like  to  call  it. 

Apropos  !  Have  you  already  heard  of  the  Brussels 
affair  ?  Think  of  my  surprise  when  I  received  a  most 
cordial  invitation  from  Brussels  to  have  my  Lohengrin 
translated  and  performed  there.  I  felt  as  if  I  had  fallen 
out  of  the  clouds.  Anyhow  the  offer  gives  me  great 
joy,  even  if  nothing  comes  of  the  matter ;  first  of  all, 
the  translation  must  be  entirely  according  to  my  wishes  ; 
and  secondly,  I  must  be  sure  about  the  singers,  before 
I  definitely  give  my  consent.  Liszt  has  already  sent 
in  these  conditions  for  me ;  in  order  to  inspect  and 
hear  the  singers,  I  should  naturally  have  to  go  myself 
to  Brussels.  Well,  we  shall  see  !  Anyhow,  the  people 
there  deserve  praise,  for  they  don't  make  a  leap  in  the 
dark,  but  the  conductor  there,  "  Hanssen,"  knows  my 
operas. 

But  no  one  will  find  fault  with  me  now  for  being 
cautious ;  I  have  just  had  a  nice  lesson  from  Paris ! 
You  have  perhaps  read  about  the  Tannhduser-overture- 
stories  there !  Would  I  had  only  done  as  I  wanted 
when  I  learnt  they  wished  to  give  it  there  !  I  wanted 
at  once  to  have  the  parts  taken  away,  because  I  foresaw 
everything  as  it  has  happened  !  But — they  say  there 
that  I  am  stubborn  and  over-excitable  ! — Well,  I  am  in 
for  it,  and  now  people  are  making  merry  over  me  :  it 


9O  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

is  quite  delightful !  Enjoy  the  joke,  and  read  the 
Jeuilleton  in  the  National  about  this  concert. — You  will 
see ! — Well,  Paris  is,  after  all,  indifferent  to  me — and 
so  not  much  harm  is  done  ! 

Now,  farewell,  my  dear,  old  friend !  Write  to  me 
soon  again,  and  make  proper  preparations  for  the 
Swiss  journey ! 

Salute  old  Fischer,  and  tell  him  that  I  thank  him 
much  for  his  letter.  I  will  soon  write  again  to  him  ! 

Farewell,  heartiest  greetings  to  wife  and  children 
from  your 

R.  W. 

ENGE,  ZURICH,  January  2Oth,  '51. 

(You  can  confidently  write  to  me  to  my  own  address.) 


21. 

BEST  FRIEND, — 

Here  you  receive  the  second  part.  The  third 
will,  I  think,  follow  in  a  fortnight.  I  should  really  like, 
before  sending  this  off  to-day,  to  have  known  whether 
you  received  the  first  part  properly.  The  inscription 
"printing  matter"  always  makes  me  suspicious  as  to 
whether  it  is  opened,  etc. 

So  as  not  to  forget  it,  I  at  once  mention  a  mistake  in 
writing,  which  I  beg  you  to  correct.  In  speaking  of 
"  historic  "  music,  I  make  a  play  upon  words,  and  call 
it  "hysteric."  I  have  written  this  word  incorrectly 
thus,  "  histeric ; "  do  restore  the  y.  Writing  now 
weakens  me  so,  that  I  always  write  with  trembling, 
confused  hand. 


TO    UHLIG.  91 

Now  I  must  say  what  I  think  about  the  matter  of 
publication.  This  time  I  must  go  prudently  to  work, 
for  I  must  be  fairly  well  paid  for  this  book.  I  am  now 
without  any  mone}7-source,  and  at  any  rate,  for  my  own 
negligence  I  ought  no  longer  to  be  a  burden  to  others. 
Nevertheless,  I  confess  I  cherish  the  bold  thought  of 
not  selling  my  book  for  less  than  sixty  louis  d'or.  It 
has  cost  me  four  months'  incessant  work  ;  and  besides, 
it  is  a  thick  volume. — Naturally  it  is  merely  a  question 
how  we  shall  set  about  the  matter.  If  we  could  only 
really  learn  from  Wigand  how  the  Kimstwerk  der 
Zukunft  sold,  we  should  know  better  what  to  ask. — I 
told  you  I  had  J.  J.  Weber  at  Leipzig  in  my  mind.  I 
fixed  on  him  because  Liszt  wrote  to  me  that  he  was 
thinking  of  offering  his  pamphlet  on  Lohengrin  to  him, 
and  hoped  he  would  publish  it.  Then  I  noticed  that 
Eduard  Devrient's  theatrical  writings  appeared  there ; 
and,  besides,  that  he  had  done  good  business  with 
Laube's  plays.  Now,  as  I  have  also  the  thoughts  of 
publishing  my  three  opera  poems  with  a  long  preface, 
so  J.  J.  Weber  appeared  to  me  to  be  the  right  man  to 
whom  I  could  offer  both  these  works.  Just  now  by 
chance  J.  J.  Weber's  Illitstrirter  Volkskalender  has  fallen 
into  my  hands,  and  I  see  that  with  this  publisher  I 
have  fallen  into  the  primeval  quagmire  of  reaction. 

That  has  made  me  more  than  doubtful.  Firstly,  will 
he,  after  all,  accept  a  writing  specially  directed  against 
the  state  ?  Secondly,  is  it  advisable  to  offer  it  to  him  ? 
On  the  last  point  my  friends  wished  to  quiet  me;  they 
altogether  refused  to  attach  any  importance  to  the 
sentiments  of  a  bookseller. 

Enough  :  Kolatschek  offered  of  his  own  accord  to  open 


92  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

up  communication  with  the  publisher  of  the  Deutsche 
Monatsschrift  (now  Kuhtmann  at  Bremen)  respecting 
my  book.  I  accepted,  .so  as  in  any  case  to  have  a 
choice.  If  I  came  to  an  understanding  with  Kiihtmann 
some  sections  of  the  book  would  first  have  to  appear 
as  special  articles  in  the  Monatsschrift.  This  certainly 
will  not  in  any  case  do  harm,  for  it  attracts  and 
excites  attention.  (It  would  of  course  be  mentioned 
that  these  articles  were  fragments  of  a  larger  work 
about  to  appear ;  in  any  case  the  publisher  must 
first  be  found  and  made  to  agree  to  this.)  In  the 
accompanying  manuscript  you  will  already  find  three 
articles  marked  with  pencil.  When  everything  is  in 
order,  you  might  pick  out  something  for  the  Neue 
Zeitschrift  fiir  Musik  ;  or  I  myself  would  indicate  what 
should  be  selected. 

Now  let  me  know  whether  you  had  any  other  pub- 
lisher in  your  mind. — I  will,  however,  enclose  a  small 
letter, — as  a  preliminary  inquiry, — to  J.  J.  Weber.  If 
you  have  no  valid  objection  against  it,  see  that  it  is  sent 
to  Leipzig.  So  much  for  to-day  about  this  matter. 

Your  "  Instrumental  music  "  has  given  me  great  plea- 
sure. You  are  quite  right  in  saying  "  that  men  are  not 
to  be  made  artistic,  but  that  art  is  to  be  made  human." 
Now  I  am  curious  about  the  second  article,  which  I  shall 
probably  have  to  quote  in  my  third  part.  Generally 
speaking,  I  don't  like  citation ;  there  is  something 
pedantic  about  it.  What  has  once  been  openly  said  is 
common  property,  and  no  longer  does  it  belong  to  him 
who  has  said  it.  In  this  sense  I  would  forgive  myself 
all  plagiarism,  for  I  should  not  count  it  as  such. 

You  are  right  in  publishing  certain  things  from  my 


TO    UIILIG.  93 

organization  manuscript,  I  am  curious  to  see  what 
you  will  get  out  of  it.  Ought  not  the  church  music 
to  be  included  ? — 

Was  the  new  year's  leading  article  really  yours  ? 
Surely  not.  The  premature  science  made  me  laugh 
heartily.  Even  now  must  I  learn  that  I  should  not 
have  discovered  the  most  important  conditions  for  the 
form  of  the  drama  of  the  future  had  I  not,  as  artist, 
lighted  quite  unconsciously  upon  them  in  my  Siegfried. 
I  have  a  great  mind  to  write  an  open  letter  to  Brendel 
for  his  paper. 

I  am  somewhat  out  of  sorts.  In  a  fortnight  I  will 
lounge  about  a  bit,  as  well  as  I  am  able.  I  have  had 
to  lay  aside  for  a  time  my  Neptune  girdle,  on  the  advice 
of  a  first-rate  physician,  who  is  in  favour  of  water-cure. 
Farewell !  Greet  wife  and  child. 

R.  W. 

I  feel  inclined  to  dedicate  my  book  "To  thinking 
musicians  and — poets."  What's  your  opinion  ?  Would 
not  the  poets  cry  out  that  I  am  madly  arrogant  ? 
Greetings  to  the  Ritters. 

Beginning  of  February  '51. 

22. 

DEAR  FRIEND, 

Here  you  have  my  will ;  now  I  can  die — what 
I  could  still  accomplish  seems  to  me  useless  luxury ! — 
The  last  pages  of  this  copy  I  have  written  in  a  state  of 
mind  that  I  cannot  describe  clearly  to  any  one. 

Our  parrot — the  most  aimiable  creature,  and  most 
tenderly  attached  to  me,  the  little  talking,  singing, 
whistling  good  spirit  of  my  secluded  little  home — was  of 


94  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

late  often  unwell ;  I  had  to  get  a  veterinary  surgeon,  and 
then  it  gradually  improved;  I  set  to  my  work  with  such 
diligence  that  I  forgot  everything.  On  the  day  before 
the  copy  was  finished,  the  poor  thing  so  longed  to  come 
out  to  me  that  my  wife  could  not  resist,  and  brought  it 
to  me  on  my  writing-table  ;  it  wished  to  sit  at  the 
window  through  which  the  sun  was  shining. — I  closed 
the  curtains  in  order  to  be  able  to  work  :  altogether  it 
fidgeted  me,  and  my  wife  had  to  take  it  away  again : 
—then  it  uttered  that  sad  cry  so  well  known  to  me. 
Afterwards  it.  was  agreed — that  I  really  ought  to  send 
for  the  surgeon.  I  said — it  won't  be  anything  serious 
—and  thought  to  myself:  to-morrow  you  will  finish 
your  work, — then  you  will  go.  Early  the  next  morning 
it  was  suddenly — dead. 

Ah ! — if  I  could  say  to  you  what  has  died  for  me  in 
this  dear  creature  ! ! 

It  matters  nothing  to  me  whether  I  am  laughed  at  for 
this.  What  I  feel,  I  cannot  help  feeling  ;  and  I  have  no 
longer  any  inclination  to  do  violence  to  my  feelings  ; 
anyhow,  I  should  have  to  write  volumes  to  make  clear 
to  those  disposed  to  laugh  at  me,  what  such  a  small 
creature  is  and  can  become  to  a  man  who  in  everything 
is  guided  only  by  phantasy.  Three  days  have  passed, 
and  still  nothing  can  quiet  me ;  and  so  it  is  with  my 
wife :— the  bird  was  something  indispensable  between 
us  and  for  us. 

Dearest  friend, — I  write  briefly  to  you  to-day  !  To 
be  plain,  I  only  wish  the  hateful  manuscript  out  of  my 
hands. — I  thank  you  heartily  for  your  letter,  which  at 
first  rather  upset  me.  Do  in  everything  what  seems 
good  to  you  !  I  am  only  concerned  to  get  at  least 


TO    UHLIG.  95 

some  money  for  this  work,  as  I — am  still  alive. — By 
all  means  send  the  letter  to  Weber — it  does  not  matter. 
I  have  as  yet  no  further  news. — Do  what  you  think  fit, 
and  I  will  thank  you  for  everything. 

If  I  could  only  take  pleasure  in  life  ;  pleasure  in  art  is 
not  possible  to  me  ;  be  true  and  agree  with  me.  In 
the  whole  wide  world  I  have  not  an  inch  of  ground  on 
which  I  can  present  myself  just  as  1  am.  Confound 
this  quaver-life  ! — All  that  I  could  expect  from  art-work 
seems  to  me  just  such  phantastic  self-quieting  as  that 
with  which  I  used  to  silence  myself  in  company  with 
the  little  dead  friend. — I  have  nothing  left  to  do  but  to 
vainly  deceive  myself. 

—Farewell — for  to-day. — Do  what  you  think  right. — 
I  thank  you  for  everything  ! — 

Farewell  !  Don't  forget  R.'s  !  and  greet  your  wife 
from  me ! 

There  will  still  be  many  faults  in  the  manuscript. — I 
have  only  been  able  to  glance  through  it  once.  • 


The  little  pet  had  only  just  lately  picked  this  up,  and 
with  unspeakable  joy  used  to  whistle  it  at  me  when  I 
came  home. 

Middle  of  February  '51. 

23- 

DEAREST  FRIEND, 

I  had  written  to  Weber  asking  him  to  answer 
me  direct,  but  I  have  heard  nothing  from  him  up  to  the 
present.  Only  Liszt  writes  me  that  he  proposes  to  send 


96  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

one  of  these  days  to  Weber  for  the  Illustrirte  Zeitung, 
rather  a  good-sized  manuscript  on  Lohengrin,  which  he 
originally  intended  to  publish  as  a  separate  pamphlet. 
To  get  clear  of  all  this  uncertainty,  I  enclose  here  a 
couple  of  lines  to  my  brother-in-law  A.,  likewise  a 
publisher  at  Leipzig,  asking  him  to  confer  with  Weber, 
and  in  any  case  then  to  give  you  news.  A.  will  in  any 
case  assist  us  with  his  advice,  and — should  nothing  be 
arranged  with  Weber — name  the  other  publishers  to 
whom  one  could  turn. 

If  A.  asks  you  for  the  manuscript  merely  send  it  to 
him,  as  he  would  have  full  power  from  me  to  do  so. 
But  first  strike  out  a  whole  passage — you  will  find  it 
just  on  the  first  page  of  the  preface — from  Der  dieses 
Narrenhaus  jetzt  mil  so  wahnsinniger  Emsigkeit,  and 
so  on,  to  fiber  unsren  Irrthum  klar  zu  werden. — I  wrote 
this  preface  when  I  still  thought  of  turning  the  whole 
into  a  series  of  musical  newspaper  articles ;  now,  as 
an  introduction  to  a  somewhat  large  book,  this  tone 
may  perhaps  have  a  too  snappy,  perhaps  paltry,  effect 
on  the  reader.  It  would  be  terrible  if  the  book  should 
come  to  be  looked  upon  simply  as  an  attack  on 
Meyerbeer.  I  wished  I  could  withdraw  still  much  of 
this  kind.  When  I  read  it,  the  mockery  never  sounds 
venomous — but  if  others  read  it  I  may  often  seem  to 
them  a  passionate,  sour-minded  individual,  and  this  I 
would  not  appear  to  be,  even  to  my  enemies. 

On  this  occasion  I  would  give  you  a  piece  of  advice  : 
lay  aside  henceforth  a  certain  taint  of  polemics.  When 
necessary,  one  must  strike  heartily,  for  dear  life,  and 
with  all  the  strength  of  which  one  is  capable  ;  but  then 
there  must  be  an  end. 


TO    UHLIG.  97 

Constant  bickering  and  taunting  make  a  highly  un- 
favourable impression  on  the  spectator,  whom  after  all 
one  wishes  to  win  over,  namely,  that  of  the  incapacity 
of  both  opponents  to  fight.  See,  I  am  no  longer  capable 
of  setting  right  even  the  grossest  misunderstandings 
about  my  article  on  the  Jews  ;  if  no  one  is  found  to 
undertake  such  correction — whenever  it  is  of  importance 
— well,  in  this  cause  I  have  gained  the  victory  over  no 
one ;  or  if  the  correction  is  not  of  importance,  I  should 
only  spoil  for  myself  the  public  avowal  of  victory.  In 
your  present  literary  works  I  have  one  thing  to  find  fault 
with  :  you  allow  your  own  light  to  shine  too  little ;  my 
writings  have  somewhat  estranged  you  from  your  own 
peculiar  method.  That  which  I  perceive  from  a  more 
general  standpoint  you  are  well  qualified  to  look  at 
from  a  more  special  standpoint.  You  have  already  done 
this  exceedingly  well,  and  you  will  certainly  do  it  well 
again ;  only  take  care  not  to  show  yourself  to  your 
opponent  in  a  state  of  dependence  which  he  cannot  fail 
to  perceive  by  the  outer  garment  which — out  of  love  to 
me — you  too  frequently  hang  around  yourself.  I  have 
at  last  managed  to  see  the  Rheinische  Musikzeitung.  I 
do  not  care  a  bit  for  this  paper ;  it  is  the  old  style  of 
musical  newspaper,  which  in  its  uselessness  and  un- 
fruitfulness  will  last  as  long  as  our  modern  music  lasts. 
But  this  paper  is  consistent :  if  any  one  wishes  to  edit  a 
special  musical  paper,  this  represents  the  extreme  liberal 
standpoint;  if  he  goes  a  step  beyond,  he  disowns  our 
whole  musical  conditions  as  incapable  of  further  develop- 
ment,— and  of  what  use  is  then  the  musical  paper  ? — 
Or  he  says  yes  to-day  and  no  to-morrow  merely  for 
the  sake  of  prolonging  its  existence,  and  thus  becomes 

7 


98  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

despicable.  The  editorship  of  the  Rheinische  Zcitung  is 
either  so  inextricably  mixed  up  with  our  musical  doings 
that  it  maintains  with  an  honourable  conscience  the 
standpoint  which  it  takes  up,  or  it  is  sufficiently  in- 
telligent and  prudent  to  see,  that  in  order  to  keep 
the  paper  going  such  a  standpoint  must  be  taken  up. 
Even  in  this — somewhat  Jesuitical  case — it  extricates 
itself  from  the  affair  with  a  good  grace,  and  anyhow, 
in  a  better  and  more  respectable  manner  than  the  other 
paper,  for  which  I  cannot  find  any  one  term  of  con- 
tempt strong  enough  to  express  my  disgust.  Stupidity, 
cowardice,  and  vulgarity,  will  do,  however,  as  a  multiple 
epithet.  Curiously  enough  the  Rheinische  Zeitung  was  the 
only  paper  which  gave  an  intelligent  and  well-intentioned 
notice  about  the  performance  of  my  Tannhauser  overture 
in  Paris ;  the  Rheinische  Zeitung  is,  in  fact — a  musical 
paper  of  the  day. — I  understand  that  you  must  now 
continue  to  write  in  a  musical  paper,  but — please  only 
write  good  articles  in  it,  such  as  you  can  write ;  and, 
for  Heaven's  sake,  don't  carry  on  any  more  warfare  in 
this  periodical ! — 

How  I  feel  now  ?  Yes,  if  I  could  only  describe  it ! 
The  one  thing  I  could  now  set  to  work  at  with  an  ap- 
pearance of  usefulness  wrould  be  writing  about  art ;  and 
that  is  just  what  no  one  wants.  You  will  see  that  only 
with  great  trouble  can  I  find  an  editor ; — as  to  being 
paid,  I  can  scarcely  think  of  such  a  thing. — Would  it  be 
better  for  me  to  set  to  work  and  compose  another  opera 
for  myself? — It's  enough  to  make  one  die  of  laughing! — 

Consider  again  the  matter  of  extracts  from  my  manu- 
script for  Brendel's  paper. — O,  happy  time  in  which 
I  did  not  understand  why  I  should  ever  look  at  a 


TO    UHLIG.  99 

musical  paper !     How  rich  was  I  then,  how  beggarly 
poor  am  I  now ! — 

I  think,  dearest — there  will  soon  be  an  end  of  me, 
soon — altogether.  If  I  trouble  now  about  a  publisher 
and  things  of  that  sort,  I  am  guided  purely  by  the 
instinct  to  earn  money.  If  any  one  were  to  give  me 
a  little  farm  I  might  become  a  plain,  simple  man, 
and  certainly  not  think  any  more  of  writing  about 
art.— 

Many  thanks  for  your  last  letter  !  Farewell,  and 
greetings  at  home. 

Your 

R.  W. 

March  loth,  '51. 

24. 

DEAREST, 

Do  not  be  astonished  that  I  have  not  answered 
you  for  so  long  a  time !  I  did  not  like  to  write  again 
while  in  my  former  humour,  which,  besides,  must  have 
distressed  you,  and  therefore  wished  to  wait  until  I  had 
inwardly  recovered.  This,  to  a  certain  degree,  has  taken 
place,  and  I  am  again  in  better  spirits.  Outward  cir- 
cumstances have  contributed  thereto  ;  first  of  all  Frau  R. 
again  supplied  me  with  money,  also  I  have  found  a  pub- 
lisher for  my  book.  Liszt's  article  on  Lohengrin  in  the 
Illustrirte  Zeitung,  which  I  lately  read  through,  warmed 
and  most  thoroughly  comforted  me  and  excited  me 
anew  to  artistic  activity.  And  it  happens  also  now 
that  Breitkopf  and  Hartel  promise  to  print  the  piano- 
forte score  of  Lohengrin.  I  have  just  received  their 
letter,  which  prompts  me  to  write  to  you  quickly  and 


ioo  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

briefly.  Unfortunately  it  does  not  mean  money  for  me, 
because  I  have  an  old  debt  with  Hartels  which  the 
honorarium  will  just  wipe  off.  However,  I  am  highly 
pleased  with  the  affair.  Now  attention  !  Send  off 
your  pianoforte  score,  forthwith,  to  Hartels  with  the 
enclosed  letter  to  the  firm :  I  mention  to  them  that,  as 
yet,  you  have  received  no  honorarium  for  it,  and  that 
they  would  have  to  settle  with  you  for  your  work.  Write 
to  them  in  the  same  sense.  Whether  they  will  pay  you 
much  for  such  a  desperately  hopeless  undertaking  is  not 
to  be  thought  of,  and  scarcely  to  be  demanded. — Why 
do  you  have  anything  to  do  with  me  ? 

One  thing  you  must  at  once  change  in  the  pianoforte 
score ;  the  second  part  of  Lohengrin's  narration  in  the 
last  act  must  be  taken  out.  I  have  for  good  reasons 
cut  it  for  performance,  and  for  the  same  good  reasons  it 
must  not  be  printed.  This  cut  and  a  small  change  in 
the  interlude  immediately  following  (three  bars  instead 
of  the  incorrect  two  bars)  you  must  manage  thus : — 


Sein  Ritter  ich      bin   Lo  -  hen-grin      ge  -  nannt 


TO    UHLIG. 


IOI 


r  __ 


ritard 


(Please  arrange  it  in  your  own  way !) 

One  thing  more : — I  really  wanted  Hartels  to  show 
themselves  generous  and  to  have  the  score  engraved. 
To  that  they  have  not  given  a  positive  refusal,  only  they 
wished  to  wait  for  a  more  favourable  turn  of  things  with 
regard  to  me,  and  so  on,  before  they  entered  upon  so 
costly  an  undertaking.  Anyhow,  they  want  a  copy  of 
the  score  from  me.  I  cannot  at  all  manage  this  at  my 
own  expense,  and  I  should  be  loth  to  part  altogether  with 
my  autograph  score,  the  only  tiny  possession  remaining 
to  me  of  my  work.  I  wonder  whether  old  Fischer  (ask 
him  !)  could  get  the  copy  which  Liittichau  possesses  for 
the  price  he  paid  for  it  (36  thalers)  ? — Are  you  mark- 
ing the  instrumentation  here  and  there  in  characteristic 
places  ? — Do  take  care  that  the  scenic  remarks  are  the 
same  in  the  pianoforte  as  in  the  full  score  ! — 

Well.     There's  a  piece  of  business  again.— 
— J.  J.  Weber  at  last  wrote  to  me  that  he  would  pay 


102  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

me  an  honorarium  of  100  thalers  for  my  book.  Being 
in  want  of  money  I  was  about  to  accept,  when  my 
brother-in-law  A.  offered,  besides  the  100  thalers,  to  pay 
me  another  75  thalers  after  the  sale  of  400  copies ;  also 
concerning  the  rights  of  further  editions  I  shall  come 
more  promptly  to  an  understanding  with  him.  So  he 
will  print  it.  But, — if  I  were  compelled  to  live  by  my 
pen ! !  !— 

K.  will — I  believe — soon  return  to  Dresden,  in  order 
to  have  active  influence  on  the  future  movements  of  his 
family,  in  so  far  as  it  stands  within  his  power.  I  am,  as 
one  might  well  imagine,  thoroughly  safe  here.  You  must 
not  ponder  much  more  over  my  remarks  about  3*011  r- 
self ;  you  must  already  have  understood  my  brotherly 
hint.  Your  article  on  the  Mangold  Opera  has  pleased 
me  very  much — not  so  your  great  attack  on  Bischof — it 
was  too  much  spun  out,  and  the  catchwords  repeated 
to  weariness.  The  bit  about  Krebs  was  very  amusing; 
but  will  it  do  you  any  good  ?  After  looking  into 
the  Hamburg  article  on  Meyerbeeriana,  together  with 
the  energetic  editorial  remarks,  as  well  as  the  notice  of 
Schumann's  Genoveva,  with  the  somewhat  vulgar  attack 
on  me,  etc.,  etc.,  you  will  probably  not  insist  on  my 
withdrawing  my  opinion. 

Besides,  I  have  already  cooked  a  private  little  dish 
for  this  place.  Soon  a  pamphlet  of  mine  will  appear 
here,  "A  Theatre  in  Zurich,"  in  which  I  show  in  a 
very  practical  manner  the  possibility  of  a  theatre  here 
which  should  be  all  the  more  distinctive  in  that  it  could 
and  ought  to  be  an  original  theatre.  I  cannot  count 
on  an  immediate  success,  but,  with  good  fortune,  on  a 
gradual  one.  I  base  all  my  courage  only  on  the  hope 


TO    UHLIG.  '    103 

of  practical  realization. — You  shall  have  the  pamphlet 
as  soon  as  it  is  out. — 

Excuse  my  horrid  scribbling ;  I  had  to  write  to  you, 
and  could  do  no  better. — 

Salute  the  R.'s  a  thousand  times  !     Greetings  to  your 
wife  and  children,  and  farewell — but  do  come  soon  ! 

Your 

R.  W. 

ZURICH,  April  I  yth,  '5 1 . 

25. 

DEAR  FRIEND, 

The  delay  is  most  unpleasant  to  me,  also  that 
you  did  not  see  at  once  about  my  letter  to  H  artels  :  it 
contains  a  business  memorandum  which  had  nothing  to 
do  with  the  sending  of  the  pianoforte  score.  Despatch 
the  letter  at  once,  and  explain  to  Hartels  the  delay  in 
the  forwarding  of  the  same. 

—I  can  have  nothing  to  do  with  L. ;  however  un- 
willingly I  part  with  everything  out  of  this  opera,  still  I 
would  rather  send  off  the  whole  score  to  put  an  end  to 
formalities.  Keep  it  by  you  till  the  pianoforte  score  is 
finished,  and  then  await  further  instructions  from  me.— 
Send  the  finished  first  act  of  the  pianoforte  score  at 
once  to  Hartels,  so  that  they  can  begin  to  print ;  tell 
them  at  the  same  time  when  they  are  likely  to  receive 
the  second  act,  and  so  on.  Write  to  Hartels  that  I  should 
be  pleased  if  they  commenced  printing  at  once. — 

—Who  is  Riccius  ? — I  wish  that  any  one  knowing 
up  to  now  so  little  about  me,  as  for  instance  not  even 
to  have  seen  the  score  of  Tannhauser,  would  write 
nothing  about  me  ;  under  the  most  favourable  circum- 
stances he  will  write  in  a  confused  and  uncertain  manner. 


104  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Do  try  and  persuade  the  man  to  wait  until  my  new  book 
appears :  it  will,  I  think,  soon  be  out. 

To-day  is  the  great  Zurich  festival  : — I  am  going  to 
the  banquet,  and  have  to  make  haste. — 

Adieu  !     Greetings  to  your  family. 

R.  W. 

May  1st,  '51. 

26. 

DEAR  FRIEND, 

I  write  a  couple  of  lines  out  of  my  turn,  i.e., 
without  first  waiting  for  news  from  you. 

Your  article  on  the  Tannhauser  overture,  with  which 
you  have  truly  surprised  me  and  touched  me  to  the 
heart,  specially  prompts  me  to  do  so.  But  quite  apart 
from  the  effect  which  it  must  make  upon  me  so  far 
as  I  am  personally  concerned  (you  must  take  flattered 
vanity  as  little  as  possible  into  account),  the  article  is 
excellent — and  truly  in  every  respect — and  though  the 
contents  are  ideal,  it  is  at  the  same  time  practical  to 
a  degree  beyond  anything  within  my  knowledge.  I 
congratulate  you  on  it,  and  strongly  beg  you  to  let  me 
have  a  copy  for  my  house  archives  !— I  have  long  been 
wishing  to  ask  you  about  another  matter,  but  it  has 
hitherto  escaped  my  memory,  and  so  I  at  once  touch 
upon  it.  You  wrote  to  me  once  that  you  had  received 
news  of  Rockel  through  Dr.  Fl.  Schulze ;  I  would  thank 
you  to  go  to  the  same  source  to  find  out  if  by  chance  I 
could  write  to  him,  and  to  whom  and  how  I  should  have 
to  address  for  that  purpose.  You  told  me  R.  had 
received  writings,  i.e.,  pamphlets  of  mine.  Has  he  also 
received  my  Kunstwerk  der  Zukunft,  and  would  it  be 
possible  to  send  him  Oper  und  Drama  ? 


TO    UHLIG.  105 

There  have  been  some  strange  goings  on  as  regards 
this  book.  After  I  had  promised  A.,  and  broken  off 
with  Weber,  I  received  from  the  latter  at  last  another 
letter,  in  which  he  proposes  in  return  for  the  manu- 
script, to  pay  me  down  twenty  louis  d'ors  at  once,  and 
again  the  same  sum  after  the  sale  of  the  edition  of 
500  copies.  Naturally  I  had  to  close  with  him.  But 
how  the  whole  thing  has  been  delayed. 

Next  week  I  shall  be  able  to  send  you  my  pamphlet 
published  here,  "  Ein  Theater  in  Zurich."  Don't  be 
astonished  if  I  send  it  to  you  unfranked  :  I  have  a 
reason  for  doing  so. 

Offers  have  been  made  to  me  from  Weimar  for  a  new 
opera.  I  should  have  to  deliver  it  by  1st  July,  1852, 
and  up  to  then,  and  during  that  time,  I  should  be  paid 
altogether  500  thalers.  Now  I  have  come  to  a  new 
determination  with  regard  to  the  subject  I  ought  to 
take  in  hand.  If  I  settled  on  Siegfried's  Death  with 
the  serious  view  to  performance  next  year  in  Weimar, 
the  whole  thing  would  appear  to  me  a  perfect  im- 
possibility. Whence  should  I  get  actors  and  a  public  ? 
All  the  winter  through  I  have  been  tormented  by 
an  idea,  which  of  late  has  so  completely  taken  hold 
of  me,  that  I  will  now  realize  it.  Did  I  not  once 
write  to  you  about  a  genial  subject  ?  It  was  that  of 
the  youth  who  sets  out  "  in  order  to  learn  fear,"  and 
who  is  so  stupid  as  never  to  be  able  to  learn  it. 
Think  of  my  alarm  when  I  suddenly  discover  that  this 
youth  is  no  other  than  the  young  Siegfried,  who  wins 
the  hoard  and  awakes  Brunnhilde.  The  scheme  is  now 
ready.  I  am  for  the  moment  collecting  my  strength 
so  as  to  be  able  next  month  to  write  the  poem  of 


io6  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Young  Siegfried.  In  July  I  set  to  work  at  the  music  ; 
and  I  have  such  bold  confidence  in  the  warmth  of 
the  subject  and  in  my  powers  of  endurance,  that  I 
think,  by  next  year,  I  shall  start  with  undiminished 
strength  the  composition  of  Siegfried's  Death.  Young 
Siegfried  has  the  decided  advantage  that  it  presents 
the  important  myth  in  the  form  of  a  play  to  the 
public,  just  as  a  fairy  tale  is  presented  to  a  child. 
Here  everything  makes  a  plastic  effect  by  means  of  sharp 
sensuous  impressions,  here  everything  is  understood  at 
once, — and  then  if  the  serious  Siegfried's  Death  follows, 
the  public  knows  all  which  has  there  to  be  presupposed 
or  even  only  hinted  at,  and — my  game  is  won, — all  the 
more  as  by  my  Young  Siegfried,  which  throughout 
appeals  far  more  to  the  popular  conscience,  and  which 
is  less  heroic  than  filled  with  the  gladsome  mirth  of 
young  manhood,  the  actors  are  practically  exercised 
and  prepared  to  solve  the  more  important  task  of 
Siegfried's  Death.  But  each  will  in  itself  be  an  inde- 
pendent piece.  They  are  only  to  be  presented  to  the 
public  in  succession  the  first  time  ;  afterwards  each, 
according  to  taste  or  means,  can  be  given  quite  by 
itself.  Besides,  I  have  no  longer  a  general,  abstract 
public  in  m}'  mind,  but  a  special  one,  to  which  I  purpose 
to  address  myself  (iiiitihcilcn},  so  that  by  it  I  may  be 
understood. 

Now  farewell  !  Don't  sweat  too  much  over  the 
pianoforte  score.  Write  to  me  soon  how  you  are, 
and  ivhen  you  are  coming  (the  chief  thing). 

Greetings  at  home,  and  to  the  R.'s  from  your 

R.  W. 

May  I0//;,  '51. 


TO    UHLIG.  ID/ 


27. 

This  time  I  am  quite  distressed  at  being  so  long 
without  any  letter  from  you.  Were  not  the  contents 
of  our  letters  always  so  innocent,  I  should  feel  dis- 
posed to  think  something  had,  for  once,  been  confiscated. 
Have  you  received  the  score  of  Lohengrin,  which  I  sent 
from  here  on  May  1st?  Have  you  received  a  second 
letter  from  me  in  which,  among  other  things,  I  asked 
for  a  copy  of  your  article  on  the  Tannhduser  overture  ? 
Have  you  not  written  to  me  since  then  ? — And  have 
you  received  through  the  R.'s  a  copy  of  my  "  Theater 
in  Zurich  "  ? 

Is  the  pianoforte  score  giving  you  so  much  trouble 
that  you  can't  get  away  from  it  ?  I  have  no  further 
news  from  H artels.  What  are  they  about  ?  Are 
they  already  engraving  ?  When  you  are  seeing  to  the 
proofs  I  would  like  first  to  look  through  them  before 
they  are  struck  off;  perhaps  here  and  there  an  idea 
may  occur  to  me.  Do  arrange  with  Hartels  that  you 
send  me  each  time  the  revise,  and  I  will  return  it  to 
Hartels  without  delay.  One  thing  more  !  I  was  in- 
formed lately  that  to  make  things  easily  practicable  you 
had  so  transcribed  the  orchestral  parts,  as  to  present  the 
theme  alone  in  the  various  registers  of  the  pianoforte 
score.  My  friends,  however,  think  that,  in  order  to 
preserve,  or  at  least  to  indicate,  the  full  framework  with 
its  harmonic  upper-voices,  a  somewhat  more  complex 
arrangement  would  not  only  be  possible,  but  having  re- 
gard to  the  technique  of  the  present  day,  quite  practicable. 
If  that  were  quite  out  of  the  question  it  would,  after 
ail,  be  better  to  arrange  it  for  four  hands.  I  am  less  in 


io8  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

favour  of  the  four-hand  arrangement — but  would  prefer 
perhaps  small  notes.  Have  you,  perchance,  conferred 
with  Liszt  on  this  matter  ?  I  am  really  anxious  to  see 
something,  and  especially  to  have  some  news. 

I  am  fairly  well.  However,  I  am  tormented  with  a 
complaint  which  my  doctor  looks  upon  as  a  favourable 
crisis  in  my  state  of  health  generally  : — it  does  not 
trouble  me  in  my  work. 

Now  do  say  when  you  think  of  coming  to  see  me. 
The  weather  will  soon  be  favourable.  In  the  summer 
my  wife  must  go  to  the  baths  at  Graubiindten. — 

You  already  know  that  Weber,  after  all,  prints  my 
book.  Lately  I  received  four  sheets  to  correct.  To  my 
astonishment  I  see  that  he  is  going  to  publish  it  in 
three  volumes,  small  octavo,  wide-spread — in  fact,  noble 
print.  So  he  will  increase  the  selling  price.  Oh,  you 
booksellers ! — 

Greetings  at  home  and  to  the  R.'s. 

Farewell.  Write  soon  to  me,  and  give  me  plenty  of 
news.  Also  get  ready  to  start,  so  that  we  may  soon 
see  each  other  again.  Farewell.  I  will  not  pay  the 
postage  of  this  letter,  for  I  shall  only  send  it  off  after 
I  have  made  fruitless  inquiry  at  the  post  for  a  letter 
from  you.  I  can  only  get  information  about  seven 
o'clock,  and  then  it  will  be  too  late  to  pay  the  postage. 
Do  the  same  with  your  letter, — and  in  general !  — 
June  yd,  '51. 

28. 

DEAR  FRIEND, 

It  is  quite  time  that  I  should  be  heard  again. 
Our   last   letters   have   crossed ;    no   matter.     As   the 


TO    UHLIG.  109 

time  of  your  departure  from  Dresden  is  approaching,  I 
have  nothing  further  to  communicate  to  you  by  writing, 
excepting  what  concerns  your  journey.  I  think  you 
ought  to  travel  here  by  the  Bavarian  railway ;  that 
route  will  bring  you  here  quickest.  Travel  via  L'lm 
to  Fricdrichshafen  on  the  Lake  of  Constance ;  from  that 
place  you  cross  over  in  the  steamer  to  Romanshorn,  and 
there  will  I  wait  for  you,  unless  something — Heaven 
knows  what — goes  wrong  with  me.  So  tell  me  exactly 
when  you  start,  and  when  you  reach  Romanshorn.  One 
thing  more.  As  you  wish  to  return  by  the  shortest 
route,  you  would,  after  all,  do  better  to  come  here  via 
Frankfurt  and  Basle,  for  the  other  way  is,  as  I  have 
said,  the  shorter.  You  would  then  have  the  advantage 
of  seeing  the  Rhine.  If  you  should  come  this  way,  I 
of  course  would  not  come  to  meet  you,  for  the  road  from 
Basle  to  here  presents  no  attractions.  I  would  then  wait 
for  you  here,  and  change  the  territory  of  arrival  into 
one  of  departure,  inasmuch  as  I  would,  when  you  go 
away,  accompany  you  to  the  Lake  of  Constance,  and 
that  would  make  a  very  pleasant  walking  expedition  for 
us.  So  please  say  exactly  what  you  will  do  ? 

Now  what  more  should  I  write  to  you  to-day  ?  I 
think  I  will  reserve  it.  I  have  still  no  news  from 
Hartels.  Anyhow,  they  must  wait  for  all  corrections 
until  you  return  to  Dresden.  It  will  be  late  before  it 
comes  out ;  also  my  book  at  Weber's  progresses  at  a 
very  slow  pace.— 

(My  "  lectures  "  here  consisted  of  certain  passages 
out  of  Oper  und  Drama,  which  I  read  quite  in  private 
to  a  number  of  acquaintances  and  friends  here.) 

Now  the  rest  by  word  of  mouth.     That  is  the  most 


no  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

sensible  of  all,  and  I  rejoice  at  it  with  all  my  heart.     (I 
commenced   Young  Siegfried  on  the  3rd  June,  and  I 
shall  have  finished  it  in  a  week.) 
Farewell!     Aurevoir! 

R.  W. 

June  i8th,  '51. 

29. 

DEAR  FRIEND, 

Again  to-day  a  word  or  two  about  your  last 
inquiries.  I  will  answer  them  in  the  most  concise 
manner.  Come  via  Kempten  and  Lindau  ;  from  Lindau 
you  take  the  steamer  direct  to 

ROHRSCHACH, 

there,  in  Rohrschach,  I  will  meet  you.  So  write  exactly 
when  you  will  be  there,  or  at  least  when  you  will  be  in 
Lindau. 

For  the  rest  only  this  by  letter : — bring  with  you 
the  score  of  Lohengrin.  In  case  Hartels  might  want 
it,  I  have  offered  it  to  them  ;  so,  in  passing  through 
Leipzig,  offer  it  to  Hartels ;  but  only  in  this  case.  If 
they  do  not  want  it  for  the  moment,  I  should  be  de- 
lighted if,  for  the  present,  you  would  bring  it  to  me ; 
perhaps  we  could  do  something  with  it.  On  your  return 
you  can,  after  all,  carry  it  back,  partly  for  correction, 
partly  for  Hartels,  if  they  want  it. — 

Do  bring  also  with  you  the  copy  of  Siegfried's  Death. 
What  else  might  I  want  ? — I  know  of  nothing  of  im- 
portance. A  thousand  greetings  to  the  R.'s  from  me ! 
Say  to  them  that  early  to-day  my  Young  Siegfried  came 
into  the  world  ready  and  well-rhymed.  Your  wife 
must  not  be  angry  that  I  so  disturb  her  !  Greetings 


TO    UHLIG.  I  1  I 

t 

to  her.     Let    Brendel   be  Brendel,  and — get  ready  to 
come.  Yours, 

R.  W. 

June  2$th,  '51. 

30. 

O,  you  bad  man  !  homo  malus  !  How  long  have 
you  made  me  wait  for  a  letter !  Had  you  heard  my 
cursing  and  swearing  during  the  last  eight  days  it 
would  have  quite  alarmed  you.  I  thought  I  should  at 
least  receive  a  letter  of  four  sheets ;  instead  of  that 
comes  a  miserable  mutilated  sheet  of  note  paper,  so 
that  it  truly  excites  my  pity.  Oh,  how  quickly  are  you 
degenerating  in  Saxony  !  Rascal  !  — 

I  set  hard  to  work  after  your  departure.  It  ex- 
hausts me  very  much,  but  when  at  last  I  wish  to 
recruit  myself,  I  really  do  not  know  how  to  manage  it. 
The  worst  times  are  those  in  which  I  wish  to  refresh, 
distract  myself.  Only  then  do  I  become  fully  aware 
how  matters  stand  with  me.  I  have  first  to  strike 
every  spark  of  joy  out  of  a  whole  heap  of  flint 
stones.  So  long  as  I  work  I  can  deceive  myself,  but 
so  soon  as  I  wish  to  unbend  my  mind  I  can  no  longer 
deceive  myself ;  and  then  I  am,  on  that  account,  terribly 
miserable.  My  only  escape  is  always  to  be  thinking  of 
fresh  work,  and  my  only  joy  is  to  commence  to  cripple 
my  strength.  Magnificent  kind  of  art  that.  Gladly 
would  I  throw  it  away  for  one  single  week's  life  ?  I 
am  terribly  without  nourishment  from  my  surroundings. 
I  cannot  get  on  at  all  with  men.  At  such  times  I  feel 
a  truly  ardent  craving  for  something,  no  matter  what,  to 
come  into  my  hands  from  the  outer  world.  From  earliest 
morn  my  only  distraction  is  the  hope  of  receiving  a 


ii2  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

letter — a  token  of  love.  Well,  midday  comes — nothing 
arrives. — The  whole  day  passes  for  me  in  unsatisfied 
hunger,  and  I  gnaw  into  myself  afresh. —  —But  why 
should  other  people  exist  merely  for  the  purpose  of 
giving  me  nourishment? — I  know  each  one  has  enough 
to  do  to  think  for  himself,  and  at  last  I  shall  be  reckoned 
an  insatiable !  — 

My  Mittheilung  was  ready  soon  after  you  left.  What 
you  do  not  know  is  actually  the  most  important  part. 
This  is  a  decisive  work ! — The  copying  took  me  over 
a  week ;  but  last  Saturday  week  everything  went  off  to 
Hartels,  also  the  explanation  about  the  "  score."  I  am 
expecting  an  answer  in  a  few  days.  I  should  be  glad  if 
(the  full  score  of — Tr.)  Lohengrin  also  were  engraved  ; 
after  all,  there  may  be  some  theatres  which  would  give 
the  opera.  Copying  is  a  tedious,  formal,  uncertain,  and 
expensive  matter.  I  can  scarcely  think  Hartels  will 
decide  for  both  scores;  anyhow,  they  have  not  expressed 
the  wish.  1  have  nothing  to  say  against  a  performance 
of  Lohengrin  at  Leipzig ;  only  I  wish  they  would  lead 
up  to  it  in  a  more  systematic  way,  i.e.,  first  give  the 
Dutclnnan,  then  Tannhauser,  and — only  then,  Lohengrin. 
I  will  write  as  much  to  Hartels.  Wherever  I  can  exert 
any  influence,  I  would  propose  this  plan ;  at  least,  that 
they  should  give  Tannhauser  first.  Altogether,  I  get 
rid  a  little  of  my  repugnance  to  the  production  of  my 
operas.  When  a  theatre  suddenly  wishes  to  give  one 
of  my  works,  I  have  surely  a  right  to  presume  that 
there  are  special  reasons,  and  generally — or  rather 
most  certainly — that  an  enthusiast  'is  at  the  bottom  of 
it,  who  is  anxious  to  gain  the  cause  acceptance.  If  I 
can  influence  conductor  and  actors  by  letter,  I  see  a 


TO    UHLIG.  I  I  3 

possible  guarantee  before  me ;  but  where  such  is  not 
the  case,  as  in  Dresden  (so  far,  at  any  rate,  as  the 
conductor  is  concerned) — I  let  the  thing  go. 

Lately  I  received  from  "Bote  and  Bock,"  in  Berlin, 
a  request  to  state  my  terms  for  Tannhduser,  which  the 
Schwerin  Theatre  wishes  to  give  ;  at  the  same  time, 
they  would  like  to  have  a  copy  for  themselves,  with 
performing  rights.  I  was  quite  astonished,  and  thought 
at  once — "  in  return  for  a  modest  honorarium,"  etc.  I 
could  not  get  Schwerin  out  of  my  head,  when  suddenly 
I  remembered  that  Rockel's  sister,  Madame  Moritz  (a 
highly  talented  actress  and  singer),  is  there :  she  has 
seen  Tannhduser  at  Weimar.  You  see  things  often 
happen  thus.  On  this  occasion  I  have  an  immediate 
request  to  make  to  you.  Do  go  with  enclosed  letter 
to  X.,  and  get  him  to  hand  over  to  you  twelve  scores 
of  Tannhduser.  Fischer  tells  me  that  there  is  no  score 
of  Tannhduser  among  the  music  I  left  behind.  Should 
demands  increase,  it  is  as  well  you  should  have  a  supply 
of  copies,  of  which  I  could  at  once  dispose.  I  would, 
therefore,  beg  you  always  to  keep  in  readiness  one  or 
two  complete  copies,  namely,  with  the  new  ending  (Fischer 
would  let  you  have  the  theatre  score  at  any  time,  and 
you  could  get  this  copied  in  by  Wolfel), — and  also  with 
the  cuts  and  small  changes  (also  with  regard  to  the  Intro- 
duction to  the  third  act),  which  you  will  likewise  get  from 
the  theatre  score.  Ask,  too,  for  a  dozen  books  of  words. 
In  case  X.  should  hesitate  to  part  with  the  scores,  let 
me  give  you  this  bit  of  information.  I  had  one  hundred 
copies  of  this  score  struck  off  by  F. ;  I  defrayed  the 
cost  out  of  the  money  then  paid  to  me  in  advance 
from  the  theatre.  For  this  indeed,  the  king  himself 


1 1 4  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

strictly  speaking  would  be  my  creditor,  and  no  one  else. 
Now  I  do  not  know  exactly  how  many  copies  I  kept 
for  myself;  many  of  them  I  gave  away  here  and  there. 
As  there  are  none  to  be  found,  I  presume  that,  originally, 
I  cannot  have  had  more  than  thirty.  I  gave  all  the 
others  to  X. — at  least  sixty  copies — but  about  this  I 
won't  dispute — X.  himself  will  know  best.  X.  was  to 
try  and  sell  these  copies  through  the  music  trade,  and 
we  fixed  the  price  at  ten  thalers.  As  his  business  was 
in  want  of  funds,  I  consented  that  X.  should  make  use 
of  any  money  which  might  come  in  from  sale  of  the  scores. 
Now  I  don't  know  how  many  he  sold,  but  the  number 
on  hand  must  still  be  very  large.  If  X.  hesitates  to 
give  the  twelve  copies  wanted,  he  might  be  answered 
thus  :  "  You  are  keeping  back  more  copies  than  you 
will  probably  require  for  the  music  trade,  but  you 
cannot  sell  them  to  a  theatre  with  permission  to  per- 
form. Now  if  you  prevent  Wagner  from  selling  his 
work  to  theatres,  you  are  standing  in  your  own  light 
with  regard  to  the  music  business,  for  then  no  one  will 
buy  the  pianoforte  scores.  If,  by  keeping  back  the 
scores,  you  wish  to  compel  Wagner  to  give  the  theatre 
honoraria  to  the  music  business,  that  would  be  a  piece 
of  villainy  towards  him — whose  means  of  living  is  not 
secured  by  any  rights — which  he  would  answer  by  not 
having  his  operas  performed  at  all." — Should  X.  insist 
that  for  every  copy  sold  to  a  theatre  he  should  receive 
the  music  trade  price  often  thalers,  you  must  finally  yield 
in  the  matter,  and  give  a  guarantee  for  the  same.  I  speak 
here  merely  of  possible,  not  likely  eventualities :  I  do  not 
expect  them  from  X.  Will  you  always  reckon  up  the 
expenses  to  Wolfel,  and  I  will  at  once  settle  with  you  ? 


TO    UHLIG.  I  I  5 

There's  a  lot  of  business  ! — Now  something  different ! 
—I  have  seen  about  a  copy  of  my  new  "  comic  opera 
libretto  "  for  Liszt,  but  I  am  not  sure  whether  I  shall  send 
it  to  him  now. — I  am  going  to  set  to  work  at  the  music, 
and  expect  to  have  a  really  pleasant  time.  You  per- 
haps cannot  imagine  it,'  but  everything  comes  quite 
naturally.  The  musical  phrases  fit  themselves  on  to 
the  verses  and  periods  without  any  trouble  on  my 
part ;  everything  grows  as  if  wild  from  the  ground.  I 
have  already  the  beginning  in  my  head ;  also  some 
plastic  motives,  like  the  Fafner  one.  I  am  delighted  at 
the  thought  of  giving  myself  up  wholly  to  it. — 

But  one  thing  more.  Since  eight  days  I  am  under  strict 
water  diet,  and  it  suits  me  thoroughly.  I  have  not  read 
much  of  Rausse,  but  so  much  I  know  already,  namely — 
no  wine,  no  beer,  no  coffee — only  water  and  cold  milk. 
No  soup,  but  everything  cool  or  tepid.  Early  in  bed, 
three  or  four  glasses  of  cold  water ;  then  rubbing  down 
— midday,  a  bath  in  the  lake,  or  a  hip-bath.  My  stomach, 
which  was  altogether  out  of  order,  is  in  a  good  state,  and 
I  feel  easy  in  the  abdomen.  During  the  day  I  con- 
tinually drink  much  water ;  after  a  meal  I  go  out  for  half 
an  hour,  and  so  on.  My  head  is  much  lighter,  only  often 
somewhat  giddy  ;  probably  this  is  the  immediate  effect. 
I  shall  go  on  unconditionally  in  this  way,  for  I  feel  how 
much  good  it  is  doing  me.  I  do  it,  too,  with  goodwill, 
and  with  water  and  milk,  I  have  a  relish  for  food  and  a 
good  appetite.  At  the  end  I  shall  have  more  health  than 
I  know  what  to  do  with.  Tell  me,  what  shall  I  do  with 
it  ? — Greetings  at  home,  and  also  to  Julia,  who  is  now 
the  only  one  of  the  R.'s  left  in  Dresden  ! — K.  is  in 
Stuttgart. — The  letter  to  Rockel  is  insipid,  and  written 


1  1  6  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

under  compulsion  ;  but  see  to  it  through  Schulze  (who, 
indeed,  can  address  the  envelope).  After  I  have  received 
a  letter  from  Rockel  I  can  write  better  to  him.— 

Adieu,  you  dear,  good  man  !     Thanks  for  your  love 

and  faithfulness. 

Your 
R.  W. 

Upon  my  word  the  article  from  London  signed 
"Butterbrodt,"  on  the  Thalbergian  opera  (in  the  Stgnate), 
was  excellent.  It  made  me  go  into  fits  of  laughter  !— 
I  have  not  properly  read  Kriager  :  I  shall  get  to  know 
all  about  it  from  your  replies.  Minna  sends  best 
greetings.  She  is  concerned  about  your  hollow  cheeks, 
and  begs  you  will  return  with  better  looks  next  year  !  — 

I  beg  X.  to  put  the  new  ending  in  the  second  edition 
of  Tannhauser.  If  he  will  pay  the  costs,  would  you  be 
so  good  as  to  arrange  the  piece  ?  For  Heaven's  sake 
do  leave  out  the  preliminary  remarks  of  the  Weimar 
book  of  words  (concerning  Master  Wolfram)  in  the 
pianoforte  score  of  Lohengrin.  They  are  not  mine,  and 
are  worthless  !  — 


DEAREST  FRIEND, 

I  am  going  to  the  hydropathic  establishment.— 
I  am  just  back  from  Albisbrunn,  where  I  have  had  a 
consultation  with  the  doctor,  and  have  fixed  my  removal 
for  Monday,  the  i5th.— 

I  cannot  suffer  things  by  halves  :  mere  dieting  has 
done  me  no  good.  But  were  I,  in  my  present  state,  to 
set  to  work  at  Voting  Siegfried,  by  next  spring  I  should 
probably  be  incurable.  Now  I  have  a  strong  desire  to 


TO    UHLIG.  117 

do  the  thing  thoroughly ;  for  the  thought  of  becoming 
perfectly  well  is  quite  a  new  one  for  me,  and  plans  and 
propositions  of  the  highest  importance  are  connected 
with  it.  Thus  can  I  still  be  of  some  real  use. — Besides, 
were  I  to  roam  about  in  my  languid  state  of  health  I 
should  be  acting  against  all  my  convictions  and  prin- 
ciples. But  the  idea  of  setting  to  work  at  Siegfried  in 
perfect  health  has  about  it  a  something  which  I  may 
call — joyful  solemnity.  So — it  is  fixed — I  go  through 
the  whole  water-cure. 

Now  I  have  a  fresh  request  to  make.  There  are  still 
about  twelve  sheets  of  Oper  und  Drama  to  correct.  I 
wrote  to-day  to  Weber  asking  him  to  send  them  to  you, 
together  with  the  manuscript.  You  must  see  to  them  for 
me.  I  have  already  given  orders  to  Hartels — who,  by 
the  way,  have  not  yet  answered  me — that  you  will  under- 
take the  correction  of  my  Mittheilung,  etc..  Don't  be  angry 
with  me  for  disposing  thus  of  your  time  :  when  I  am  well 
again  I  will  in  turn  correct  your  articles  for  Brendel. 

From  now  address  me  as  follows  : — 

"  Albisbrunn  bei  Hausen, 

im  Kanton  Zurich." 

One  thing  more  !  My  wife  maintains  that  some  of  my 
scores,  and  in  particular  of  Tannhauser,  were  lying 
about  in  the  rooms  of  our  former  house-neighbour, 
Madame  P.  So  get  them.  The  lady  lives  where  we 
last  lived  in  Dresden,  on  the  same  floor. — 

Farewell !     Let  me  soon  hear  from  you,  and  remain 

good  to  me. 

Your 

R.  W. 

ZURICH,  September  8th,  '51. 


n8  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

32. 
BEST  FRIEND, 

Before  I  go  to  Albisbrunn — that  is  to-morrow— 
I  will  quickly  answer  one  point  in  your  letter  of 
yesterday,  and  so  settle  this  much. 

In  two  successive  letters  you  bring  before  me  X.'s 
complaints.  What  effect  do  you  wish  to  produce  on  me 
by  this  ?  Do  you  wish  to  determine  me  to  think  about 
help  for  X.  ?  In  that  case  you  ought  to  have  stated  to 
me  how  I  could  procure  help.  So  far  as  I  can  now  see 
I  can  only  help  him  by  being  less  scrupulous  with  regard 
to  intended  performances  of  my  operas  than,  according 
to  my  principles,  I  ought  to  be.  To  spread  them  about 
among  the  theatres  would  bring  good  business  to  X., 
and  with  it  freedom  from  his  cares.  You  know  that 
even  for  Leipzig  I  have  in  mind  to  get  my  two  other 
operas  produced  before  Lohengrin.  I  have  sold  Tann- 
hduser  to  Schwerin.  Would  you  have  me  hand  over  to 
him  forsooth  this,  and  perhaps  other  honoraria  which 
may  follow  ?  Who  would  justify  me  in  disposing  of 
these  small  and  chance  receipts  otherwise  than  for  my 
own  wants,  so  long  as  I  am  indebted  for  the  supply  of 
these  to  the  real  sacrifice  of  one  single  family  ?  Even 
in  this  very  year  I  was  in  the  deepest  need  of  money, 
and  in  pitiful  manner  was  forced  to  seek  help  through 
friends.  I  am  using  the  Schwerin  honorarium  for  my 
water-cure.  Up  to  now  I  have  no  sure  prospect  of 
receipts  from  any  other  quarter.  Well,  just  say  what 
I  could  do  now,  when  X.  is  pressed,  though  only  for 
the  moment — for  his  receipts  are  standing  (if  only)  on 
paper?  If  I  can  give  him  something — before  the  paper 
is  turned  into  money — then  I'll  do  it. — Besides,  if  I  cause 


TO    UHLIG.  I  19 

X.  trouble,  I  have  the  strongest  reason  for  considering 
it  my  greatest  misfortune  that  formerly  I  went  to  him. 
Of  all  persons  in  the  world,  he  is  the  least  fit  for  such 
a  business.  During  the  last  years  in  Dresden  this  man 
tormented  the  very  life  out  of  me.  I  can  truly  say  that 
the  greater  part  of  all  the  martyrdom  which  I  have  ever 
suffered  bears  the  name  "X."  But  now  he  is  utterly 
incompetent  to  manage  his  own  business.  Only  here 
in  Zurich  have  I  really  received  the  clearest  proofs  how 
injurious  he  has  been  to  the  sale  of  my  operas.  If  any 
one  asked  to  have  music  on  approval,  he  explained  that  he 
could  only  give  it  for  cash  down,  or  on  account;  and  such 
conduct  is  outrageous.  By  this  means  he  has  prevented 
musicians  who  wished  to  get  my  things  put  before  their 
pupils  from  doing  so.  Of  similar  nonsensicalities  I  have 
had  endless  cases  mentioned  to  me — and  from  other 
sources.  —  In  short,  our  sorrows  are  decidedly  mutual ; 
and  I  confess  that  I  have  become  somewhat  hardened 
against  his  lamentations.  Also,  rest  assured,  it  is  not 
always  so  bad  as  he  makes  out. —  —There's  a  tale — 

R.'s  letters  have  filled  me  with  melancholy  and  grief: 
everything  is  sad,  very  sad,  and  I  can  take  no  pleasure 
in  R.'s  good  humour.  Could  not  Schulz  procure  for 
him  Feuerbach's  lectures  on  the  nature  of  religion  ? 
More  about  this  another  time  ! — 

One  other  request.  Let  me  know  exactly  the  state 
of  the  Lohengrin  business  at  Dresden.  I  will  not  allow 
the  opera  to  be  produced  there,  even  if  I  provoke  public 
scandal  over  the  matter.  I  should  like  to  see  if  the 
people  will  be  able  to  avoid  knowing  who  I  am  ! — 

Unfortunately  I  have  no  answer  yet  from  Hartels. 
If  they  ask  you  again  for  the  score,  give  it  at  once. 


1 20  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

If  they  mean  to  engrave  it,  the  Wolfel  copy  will  thereby 
become  useless  :  whatever  Wolfel  has  written  could  go  at 
once  to  Hartels ;  and  the  copy  could  be  finished  at  leisure 
in  Leipzig.  I  think  that,  should  they  wish  to  have  the 
score  in  any  case,  even  if  they  do  not  engrave  it,  they 
can  have  it  copied  just  as  well  there  (and  this  would  be 
of  advantage  to  them  for  the  purpose  of  circulation) — 
and  so  in  the  principal  matter  they  get  their  way. 

You  have  not  grasped  the  right  meaning  of  the 
ending  of  Tannhauser.  This  ending  is  no  alteration, 
but  a  rectification,  which,  unfortunately,  I  could  only 
make  after  seeing  the  work  on  the  stage,  when  I  became 
convinced  that  the  former  ending  only  gave  a  hint  of 
what  had  actually  to  be  communicated  to  the  senses.  I 
understand  that  slaves  of  custom  prefer  the  first  (because 
accustomed)  ending — and  all  the  more  as  the  rectifica- 
tion in  Dresden  was  insufficiently  carried  out  so  far  as 
stage  management  was  concerned.  But  in  a  certain 
sense  I  am  ashamed  of  the  first  working  of  the  end,  which, 
in  truth,  is  only  a  sketch  :  it  should  therefore  cease  to  be 
known,  and  of  course  disappear  entirely  from  the  piano- 
forte score.  (An  "ossia"  is  the  very  deuce!)  The  only 
practical  objection  would  be  want  of  money  to  engrave 
it ;  so  if  X.  will  not  give  it,  I'll  find  it !  You  must  pay 
the  costs  ;  I'll  send  them  to  you  !  So  that's  settled  ! — 

Your  fresh  emaciation  causes  me  truly  deep  anxiety.  If 
you  do  the  right  thing  you  will  join  me  at  the  colony  : — 
I  stick  to  that.  I  cannot  see  why  from  some  citizen-like 
feeling  of  honour  you  should  go  on  fiddling  yourself  to 
death  in  Dresden. — Farewell !  I'm  off  early  to-morrow 
morning  to  Albisbrunn.  Truly  your 

R.  W. 


TO    UHLIG.  121 

That  Figaro  affair  was  most  ingenious  :  I  laughed 
right  out ! — One  thing  more ! — Send  me  scalding  hot  all 
the  numbers  of  the  Brendel  newspaper  which  contain 
articles  of  yours — in  wrappers  and  unfranked  (  ! !  !  ) — to 
Albisbrunn.  Don't  forget  this  !  (Every  one  of  your 
articles.)  You  have  my  address.  (I  have  not  yet  seen 
your  reply  to  Kr.  !) 

P.S. — I  am  just  in  receipt  of  your  last  letter.  I  have 
nothing  fresh  to  announce  to  you.  I  have  already 
spoken  to  you  about  the  Tannhduser  ending.  (In  this 
matter  I  am  somewhat  surprised  at  you.)  I  will  write 
out  the  certificate,  and  will  have  it  witnessed.  If  it  does 
not  go  to-day,  it  will  be  sent  on  to-morrow.  As  a 
matter  of  course  the  portraits  are  already  on  the  way. 
September  i$th,  '51. 

33- 

MOST  AMIABLE  MAN  !  (Homo  amabilissimus.—  Lin.  II.  73). 
This  letter  will  not  be  up  to  much,  as  I  write 
it  lying  down. 

For  the  rest — water-cure  :  to  be  brief.  Have  read 
likewise  Rausse  on  "Mistakes."  Weather  bad.  October 
better.  Not  alone.  Lieutenant  Miiller  taking  the  waters 
with  me.  Still  much  excitement ;  busied  myself  with 
too  much  theory.  Your  letter  great  joy  ;  best  thanks — 
go  on — Hartels  respectable  :  having  sent  ten  louis  d'or. 
Ought  to  engrave  the  score  of  Lohengrin  at  once.  Hartels 
are  right.  Shall  find  a  way  for  Siegfried;  will  first  finish 
it.  (Please  make  a  fuss  about  Hartels'  graciousness  with 
regard  to  engraving  a  score  of  mine  ! ! !)  (Mtisik.  Zeitung). 
Want  your  exact,  honest,  individual  opinion  about 
Dresden  :  not  caring  a  rap  for  my  "friends";  why  the 


122  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

Court  and  L.  ?  If- — well,  only  on  one  condition — Eduard 
Devrient  getting  it  up  for  the  stage,  you  authorized  by 
L.  If  not  the  devil  take  them. — H artels  write,  Piano- 
forte score  ready — only  to  be  corrected  (?).  Thousand 
thanks.  You  doing  much  for  me  !  Another  time  // 
Carl  greeting. — Grand  letter  :  be  satisfied. — 
Soon  write  again. — Hearty  greeting. 

Your 
R.  W. 

ALBISBRUNN  (not  knowing  the  day). 

34- 

DEAR  GOOD  FELLOW, 

You  are  really  the  only  one  with  whom  one  can 
get  on.  Many  thanks  for  the  letter  received  to-day : 
it  was  the  first  and  only  one  which  I  received  since 
your  last,  although  many  others  were  due.  My  last 
lines  to  you  from  Albisbrunn  you  probably  received  the 
day  after  you  sent  off  the  letter  just  to  hand. — I  can 
only  say,  "  1  thank  you  heartily  for  your  love."- 

You  already  know  that  Muller  is  here.  Albisbrunn 
suits  me  to  perfection.  For  the  last  three  days  my 
bodily  health  has  so  improved,  that  I  often  feel  in  the 
highest  spirits :  it  is  the  light  healthy  blood  which  is 
now  filling  my  veins.  Besides,  fine  weather  has  set 
in  with  the  new  moon.  I  often  feel  at  times  like 
these  as  if  I  were  gently  and  pleasantly  intoxicated. 
Oh  !  what  is  all  wine  intoxication  compared  with  this 
feeling  of  most  joyful  ease,  which  often  has  no  moral 
foundation.  It  is  extraordinary  how  at  first  I  was 
worried  by  theory  and  abstraction ;  it  was  like  a 
disease  of  the  brain — an  eternal  cross-volley  of  abstract 
thoughts  on  the  theory  of  art,  which  I  would  willingly 


TO    UHLIG.  123 

at  once  have  communicated  to  you  to  work  out,  if  only 
to  be  rid  of  them.  Still  I  felt  that  I  should  have 
minutely  to  describe  them  even  to  you,  and  that  would 
have  made  matters  worse.  Now  a  grey  cloud  seems  to 
be  passing  from  my  brain.  I  have  had  a  beneficial 
mucous  discharge  through  the  nose,  and  my  senses  are 
gradually  taking  pleasure  in  their  immediate  surround- 
ings. So  I  think  I  shall  soon  be  restored  to  health  and 
happiness,  and  I  will  communicate  to  you  another  time 
my  thoughts  on  art,  provided  indeed  they  are  of  any 
importance. — Under  these  circumstances  I  am  satisfied 
with  my  doctor ;  he  is  considerate,  and  takes  pains  to 
understand  my  constitution.  Ah !  were  you  here ! 
When  the  air  is  clear,  one  is  lost  in  wonder  at  the 
prospect.  And — you  must  really  come  for  good  and 
bring  your  children  with  you  ! 

I  will  not  write  any  more  now.  Klemenz  is  already 
waiting  with  the  damp  cloth  to  give  me  my  mid-day 
washing. 

I  am  bestowing  the  greatest  attention  on  your  notices 
(on  a//,  indeed),  even  if  I  do  not  answer  them  ;  once  more, 
very  great  and  best  thanks!  Go  on,  and  rest  assured 
that  you  do  me  good  through  and  through  by  your 
thoroughness. 

Farewell,  greet  wife  and  children. 

Your 

RICHARD  W. 

ALBISBRUNN,  September  ^oth,  1851. 

(I  have  no  news  from  Liszt.)  B.  has  not  sent  any- 
thing yet  to  me  ! 

35- 
DEAR  FRIEND, 

Your  letter  of  yesterday  found  me  indisposed. 


124  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

I  am  in  a  somewhat  serious  mood,  and  just  in  a  state 
to  see  clearly  through  all  delusions.  As  I  am  exhausted, 
I  can  only  reply  briefly. — 

You  might  well  have  spared  me  X.  all  over  again  ;  I 
thought  I  had  told  you  enough  about  this  matter. 
Concerning  him,  he  is  piqued  about  the  R.'s  inheritance, 
and  hence  suddenly  the  violent  lamentation;  that  he 
does  not  possess  sufficient  sense  of  propriety  to  feel  that 
the  R.'s  are  not  in  the  world  solely  for  his  sake,  need 
not  cause  any  surprise ;  but  I  hope  you  will  perceive 
what  a  difference  there  is  between  R.'s  sympathy  for 
my  future  and  X.'s  peddling  business.  So  far  as  /  am 
concerned,  I  consider  this  speculative  meddling  in  so 
delicate  a  relationship  as  mine  to  R.'s,  revolting.  If  it 
continue  I  shall  most  probably  energetically  and  entirely 
abandon  all  claim  to  R.'s  sympathy  for  me.  I  wish 
some  people  would  do  me  the  favour  of  considering  me 
dead.  Really  and  in  truth  I  am  so  for  all  that  officious 
crew.  I  am  dead,  and  X.  may  act  as  fancy,  or  rather 
as  his  stupidity,  prompts ;  in  fact,  as  he  has  been  inspired 
by  it  up  to  now.  Let  him  bring  out  a  second  edition  of 
Tannhduser  or  not :  to  me  it  is  absolutely  indifferent,  if 
he  is  so  stupid  as  not  to  see  now  that  every  tolerable 
man  of  business  can  transact  business  with  me  at  this 
very  moment.  But  if  such  a  man  as  X.  is  not  even  a  man 
of  business,  I  would  certainly  like  to  know  in  what  capacity 
he  could  appear  to  me  worthy  of  regard,  so  that  I  should 
trouble  about  him.  Let  him  go,  and  tell  me  no  more 
about  him.  Be  silent  about  him  to  me  as  if  I  were  dead. 

Through  Liszt's  friendship  I  have  been  again  drawn 
into  a  half-and-half  world  in  which  I  begin  to  feel  myself 
deeply  and  painfully  moved.  For  the  moment  I  know 


TO    UHLIG.  125 

not  what  to  do  to  get  right  out  from  it.  Only  one  thing 
is  clear — that  I  do  nothing  further.  No  more  Illustrirte 
Zeitung;  at  least,  certainly  no  more  with  my  help.  I  do 
not  intend  in  any  way  to  become  celebrated ;  at  least, 
I  will  not  help  to  make  myself  famous.  Leave  the 
rubbish  alone,  dearest  Uhlig !  With  respect  to  the 
present  world,  can  one  have  any  other  pleasure  than,  at 
best,  to  deal  a  blow  according  to  one's  whim  and  fancy  ? 
How  impure  and  tainted  is  all  other  dealing  with  it. 
Let  men  do  as  they  like :  they  must  leave  me  out  of 
account, — I  am  dead  for  this  world. 

All  this  recent  desire  to  perform  my  operas  is,  after  all, 

most  disgusting.    I  make  myself — as  I  see  more  and  more 

clearly — only  ridiculous,  by  defending  myself  against  a 

wish  that  cannot  will.     Have  Hartels  not  written  to  you 

about  the  score  ?     It  seems  to  me  as  if  it  would  be  more 

prudent  for  them  also  not  to  go  beyond  wishing.    If  they 

print  the  score,  they  will  only  cause  me  fresh  perplexity. — 

Concerning    my    "  Preface  " — this    my  last  word — I 

have  still  a  request  to  make.     As  soon  as  you  send  back 

the  last  sheet  of  this  preface  to  Hartels,  ask  them,  by 

writing,  in  my  name,  to  send  a  corrected  proof  of  the 

whole  preface  at  once  to  Liszt ;  and — as  soon  as  this  is 

done — to  notify  the  same  to  you,  so  that  I  may  at  once 

know  it.     Only  then  will  I  send  off  Young  Siegfried  to 

Liszt;  and  I  shall  have  to  declare  to  him  my  intention  to 

finish  the  composition,  although  I  cannot  let  the  whole 

be  produced  at  Weimar,  tin/ess  I  am  there  myself.     This 

will  naturally  give  quite  a  new  turn  to  the  whole  matter, 

which  must  inevitably  result  in  my  deciding  to  render 

void  the  whole  Weimar  covenant.     I  anticipated  this, 

and  made  up  my  mind  from  the  beginning  not  to  touch 


126  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

the  Weimar  subsidies,  so  as  to  be  able,  should  circum- 
stances arise,  to  be  quickly  rid  of  the  matter.  But,  unfor- 
tunately, I  was  forced  to  touch  and  spend  the  first  hundred 
thalers  which  I  received  from  Weimar  in  July,  and  how  I 
shall  be  able,  just  now,  to  put  aside  the  November  remit- 
tance I  cannot  imagine;  for  with  the  R.'s  pecuniary  help 
alone,  I  have  hitherto  not  been  able  to  make  both  ends 
meet.  With  this  I  have  involuntarily  answered  a  ques- 
tion which — in  the  form  in  which  you  put  it — really  vexed 
me.  I  do  not  like  answering  such  singular  questions, 
even  when  I  think  they  are  put  with  the  best  intentions. 
Only  the  supposition  that  there  may  have  been  some 
gossip,  determines  me  to  answer  in  a  more  definite  man- 
ner— namely:  last  winter  I  was  obliged  to  borrow  money 
of  my  friends  here ;  but  I  consider — or  rather,  according 
to  those  friends,  I  am  justified  in  considering — this  in 
no  way  a  case  of  debt.  Since  February  I  had  no  longer 
occasion  to  borrow.  In  March  Liszt  sent  me  one  hundred 
thalers — at  the  same  time  the  R.'s  sent  theirs ;  and  in 
July  the  Weimar  intendant  did  the  same — so  from  that 
time  I  managed  all  right,  with  one  exception,  when, 
counting  on  the  twenty  louis  d'ors  from  Schwerin,  I  took 
the  waters.  This  money,  still  failing  to  come,  leaves 
me  in  want,  and  I  must  borrow.  Why  the  deuce  are 
you  suddenly  concerned  about  my  money-affairs  ?  I  have 
become  somewhat  long-winded,  and  must  now  conclude. 
To  clear  matters  I  answer  briefly  some  queries. 

"  Libretto  of  Hoffmann  for  you !"  I  do  not  remember. 
Mistake  (perhaps  "  die  Bergwerke  zu  Falun  "  ? — not 
worth  the  trouble).  "  Trautmann  and  Tannhauser 
score."  As  Meser  likes ;  he  can  also  give  one  to 
Heidenreich.  All  the  same  to  me.  Am  anxious  about 


TO    UHLIG.  127 

you,  as  it  is  so  long  since  you  wrote.     More  of  this 
another  time. — 

Remind  Weber  in  my  name  about  the  correction. — 
"  The  critical  friend  of  Lohengrin"  Dr.  H.  Franck. — 
Your  articles  keep  up  even  to  Pabst's  opera.  Rare  wit 
and  excellent  ideas.  If  I  write  nothing  specially  about 
them,  always  understand  that  I  agree. 

With  Brendel— all  right  1— 

From  the  Gegenwart.— 

See  to  it  at  your  leisure.     But  why  ? — 

I  want  a  small  house,  with  meadow  and  a  little  garden  ! 
—To  work  with  zest  and  joy, — but  not  for  the  pre- 
sent time.  Besides  Siegfried  still  some  big  plans  in  my 
head ;  three  dramas,  with  a  three-act  Vorspiel. — If  all 
German  theatres  tumble  down,  I  will  erect  a  new  one 
on  the  banks  of  the  Rhine,  gather  every  one  together, 
and  produce  the  whole  in  the  course  of  a  week. — Rest ! 
rest !  rest ! — Country  !  country  !  a  cow,  a  goat,  etc. 
Then  —  health  —  happiness  —  hope  ! — Else,  everything 
lost.  I  can  no  more.  You  must  come  here  ! — 

Your 
R.  W. 

I  remain  at  least  four  weeks  in  Albisbrunn.— Miiller 
sends  greetings. — Don't  be  anxious  about  me  ;  I  shall 
be  better  by-and-by. — 

Don't  refer  to  X.  again.  If  your  conscience  moves 
you,  act  for  yourself,  but  not  for  me. 

36. 

By  the  way  !  a  correction  in  post-haste — a  defect 
to  which  you  call  my  attention  at  the  right  moment. 
In  the  text,  and  in  the  pianoforte  score  of  Tannhauser 


128  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

(if  a  new  edition  is  to  appear)  the  end  must  be  rectified 
thus  : — 

1.  Text : 

Tannhauser. 

"  Heilige  Elisabeth  !  bitte  fur  mich  ! "  (He  dies) 
The  younger  Pilgrims  (entering  from  the  front  of 
the  Scene ;  while  the  sun  is  rising) 

Heil !  Heil !  Der  Gnade  Wonder  Heil ! 
Erlosung  ward  der  Welt  zu  Theil ! 
Es  gab  in  nachtlich  heil'  ger  Stund'. 

etc. 

Landgraf,  Ritter,  Singers  and  older  Pilgrims. 
Der  Gnade  Heil  ist  dem  Biisser  beschieden, 
Er  geht  nun  ein  in  der  Seeligen  Frieden ! 
(Finis.) 

I  beg  you  will  fill  in  the  necessary  scenic  remarks 
from  the  old  and  new  books  (neither  of  which  I  have 
at  hand). 

If  Hartels  have  not  got  on  very  far  with  the  printing, 
you  might  send  on  this  insertion ;  otherwise  you  can 
attend  to  it  in  correcting. 

2.  (Pianoforte  score)  from  :    . 

"  Heilige  Elisabeth  !  bitte  fur  mich !  ",  go  on  just  as  it 
stands  in  the  old  pianoforte  score — quaver  triplets  and 
chorus  of  younger  pilgrims — in  full,  right  to  the  end. 
Only  where  the  great  Pilgrim  theme  (formerly  only  in  the 
orchestra — trombones  and  trumpets)  comes  in,  put  the 
voice  parts  as  they  are  in  the  altered  score — in  unison  : — 


Der  Gnade  heil        ist  dem          Bu  -  sser       be 

The  younger  pilgrims  (soprano  and  alto)  continue  here, 
as  formerly,  with  the  "  Halleluja."- 


TO    UHLIG.  129 

You  quite  understand  me,  do  you  not  ?  The  miracle 
only  hinted  at  in  the  altered  form  must  be  completely 
restored;  the  "er  ist  erlost!  er  ist  erlost!"  etc.,  naturally 
comes  out. — Thus  is  everything  consistent,  and  the  idea 
completely  developed. 

The  reason  for  leaving  out  the  announcement  of  the 
miracle,  in  the  Dresden  change,  was  quite  a  local  one : 
the  chorus  was  always  bad,  flat,  and  uninteresting ;  also 
an  imposing  scenic  effect — a  splendid,  gradual  sunrise — 
was  wanting. — But  here,  where  I  wish  to  express  my 
idea  to  the  full,  that  consideration  has  no  longer  any 
weight  with  me. 

So  change  this  in  the  book  and  in  the  pianoforte  score. 

Farewell  for  to-day,  and  thanks  for  everything ! — I 
am  not  well.  This  cursed  Tannhduser  affair  prevented 
me  from  sleeping  all  night.  That's  my  way.— 

Adieu ! 

The  affair  with  R.,  etc.,  in  W.,  is  really  terrible. 

37- 
DEAREST  FRIEND, 

Best  thanks  for  your  letter  !  I  answer  it  at  once, 
because  I  want  another  one  from  you  soon.  But  I  must 
be  brief,  otherwise  I  cannot  write  at  all. 

The  R.'s  are  a  new  world  for  me.  Between  us 
everything  is  readily  understood.  We  rejoice  mutually, 
and  everything  which  the  one  does  pleases  the  other. 
There  is  no  talk  of  thanks  between  us.  — And  could  I  be 
indifferent  if  I  had  to  fear  that  a  set  of  fault-finders  would 
suddenly  mix  in  this  noble  relationship,  people  who  can 
neither  understand  nor  love  me, — who,  merely  for  the 
sake  of  slander,  and  to  a  certain  extent  of  dishonour, 
would  cause  me ?  O,  for  shame  !  Think  over  the 

9 


130  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

last  years  of  my  life ;  then  look  at  the  others,  and  look 
at  the  R.'s,  and  I  hope  you  will  understand  why  !  was 
in  such  a  state  when  that  suspicion,  that  presentiment, 
arose  in  me.  Good  heavens  !  to  preach  is  always  a  hard 
task  ! — Must  I  then  really  preach  ?— 

As  yet  I  have  no  news  from  Liszt ;  only  B.  wrote  to 
me  that  on  the  3rd  of  this  month  Liszt  had  not  yet 
returned.— 

Extraordinary  that  I  cannot  get  hold  of  the  Musik 
Zeitung.  Brendel  sent  me  a  few  old  numbers,  and  then 
nothing  more.  So,  though  I  pay,  it  is  impossible  for 
me  to  receive  the  wished-for  numbers  through  the  post 
as  soon  as  they  arc  out.  Funny  !  Brendel  seems  to  do 
strange  things.  For  goodness'  sake,  why  do  you  not  send 
them  ?  Cannot  you  get  a  second  copy  of  your  articles? — 

I  must  pull  up. — 

I  have  been  packed  up  in  a  wet  cloth  for  three  weeks, 
and  shall  continue  in  the  same  fashion.  For  a  time  I 
had  to  discontinue  on  account  of  too  great  exhaustion. 
I  am  now  much  excited  ;  but — I  live  in  hope.  My 
appetite  is  always  excellent.— 

To  Weber : 

OPER  UNO  DRAMA, 

von 
Richard  Wagner. 

Voila  tout !     Do  write  that  to  him  ! 

Now  Uli !  Uli !  man  of  fair  complexion  !  write  and 
tell  me  whether  Elsa  is  well  again.— Greetings  to  your 
people  and  to  the  R.'s. — Emilie  is  coming  to  Albisbrunn. 

Farewell,  and 

Your 

R.  W. 

AI.BISBRUNK,  October  2Ot/i,  '51. 


TO    UHLIG.  131 

38. 
DEAR  FELLOW, 

I  do  not  see  why  I  should  not  write  to  you  to- 
day, even  if  it  be  but  little.  We  are  surrounded  by  a 
thick  cloud.  I  have  just  come  down  from  the  Albis 
heights,  where  I  have  had  the  most  magnificent  view  since 
I  stood  on  a  certain  "  Kreuzthurm."  The  whole  chain 
of  the  Alps,  from  Santis  to  the  Bernese  Oberland,  in  the 
clearest  sunlight,  and  a  thick  sea  of  cloud  spread  over 
all  the  depths,  from  which  the  awful  world  of  islands 
stands  out  nobly.  I  wonder  what  it  is  like  on  the 
Racknitzer  heights  now  ? — 

Emilie  wrote  the  day  before  yesterday.  She  is  coming 
to  us  here  at  Albisbrunn.  We  can  always  make  some- 
thing of  her  ! 

If  you  hear  anything  of  Liszt's  doings  at  Weimar, 
please  let  me  know.  Your  news  about  Moscheles  gave 
me  much  matter  for  reflection.  Ah  !  if  I  could  only  draw 
Liszt  away  from  his  illusions,  it  would  be  grand.  It 
has  much  to  do  with  my  works.  My  Weimar  Siegfried 
becomes  more  and  more  problematical, — but  not  Siegfried 
itself.  For  this  much  is  certain — I  only  work  for  art,  for 
nothing  else,  unless  it  be  for  a  little  decided  humanity.— 

I  am  getting  more  and  more  to  believe  in  my  cure ; 
anyhow,  my  condition  was  and  is  now  of  a  critical 
nature :  were  it  not  for  my  wife,  I  should  remain  here 
the  whole  winter. 

Please  send  me  the  exact  title  of  Rausse's  writings 
on  hydropathic  treatment.  I  shall  order  them,  in  any 
case,  for  myself.  You  would  probably  also  like  soon  to 
have  your  Rausse  back  again  ? — 

One  thing  more.     I  beg  of  you  to  get  from  Fischer 


132  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

the  following  scores  of  mine  which  are  in  his  possession, 
to  make  a  pile  of  them,  to  pack  them  up,  and  send  them 
to  me  the  first  chance  you  get.  Could  not  Emilie  bring 
them  ?  Otherwise,  perhaps  by  parcel-post — or,  in  the 
worst  case,  by  carrier. 
The  things  are  : — 

1.  Die  Feen  Opera.     Three  vols.,  original  MS. 

2.  Das  Liebesverbot  oder  die  Novize  von  Palermo.     Two 

vols.,  ditto. 

3.  Rienzi.     Four  vols.,  ditto. 

4.  Derfliegende  Hollander.     One  vol.,  ditto. 

5.  Derfliegende  Hollander.     Lithograph  score,  in  handsome 

binding,  with  leather  back. 

6.  Beethoven.     Ninth  Symphony.     Engraved  score. 

7.  Beethoven.     Pastoral  Symphony.  ,, 

8.  Bach.     Motetts. 

9.  Schumann.     Symphony. 

And  the  rest  of  the  engraved  music ;  only  not  the  arrange- 
ments of  Rienzi,  etc.  These  I  present  to  the  gods. — 

See  how  you  can  get  all  that  for  me. — 

Do  you  really  think  that,  in  consequence  of  the  forth- 
coming historical  concert,  I  might  be  called  back  to 
Dresden  ?  Ah,  that  would  be  too  grand  ! — 

Yesterday  I  wrote  a  few  lines  to  Emilie.  With 
regard  to  the  miserable  business  I  referred  her  to  my 
last  letter  to  you. 

May  heaven  keep  and  preserve  you  in  its  incompre- 
hensible love  and  foresight !  Also  may  it  grant  you 
black  hair  and  a  good  corporation  ! 

Write  soon,  do  you  hear  ? 

How  is  Elsa  ?  Your 

ALRISBRUNN,  October  22nd,  '51.  R.    W. 

P.S. — If  you  have  any  fancy  for  keepingthe  printed  music 
of  No.  6  and  onwards,  pray  do  so.  I  really  don't  want  it. — 


TO    UHLIG.  133 

39- 
DEAREST  FRIEND, 

Only  a  line  or  two. 

K.  will  willingly  assist  Brendel ;  only  he  must  first 
get  well :  for  the  present  he  neither  reads  nor  writes. 
Perhaps  one  day  /  shall  air  another  of  my  fads  in  B.'s 
paper. 

I  am  extremely  glad  that  Hartels  have  behaved  in  a 
becoming  manner  towards  you ;  but  why  anything  short 
of  one  hundred  thalers  ?  Truly  I  reproach  myself  now 
for  loading  you  so  with  my  affairs  :  do  not  be  angry 
with  me  on  that  account !  Manage  so  that  one  day  I 
may  be  able  to  repay  your  kindness. 

I  am  writing  to  Hartels  about  the  title :  exactly  as 
you  propose.  The  remark  must  be  left  out. 

Still  no  news  from  Liszt. — 

My  cure  is  going  on  all  right;  it  is  easy  to  trace 
the  healthier  blood.  But  I  shall  still  remain. — My 
wife  is  just  now  on  a  visit  here.  She  sends  hearty 
greetings  to  you  and  yours.  May  your  sick  baby 
rapidly  improve  ! ! ! 

Hope  you  will  soon  write  again.  In  a  few  days  I 
will  also  put  my  pen  to  paper  again.  Greetings  to  the 
R.'s.  Farewell ! 

Your 
R.  WAGNER. 

ALBISBRUNN,  October  281/1,  '51. 

40. 

DEAR  FELLOW  AND  FRIEND, 

I  will  write  to  you,  but  I  don't  know  exactly 
what. — Yes — that  I  am  more  than  grieved  to  have 
loaded  you  with  so  much  work  on  my  account.  I 


i34  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

seem — as  if  I  were  ruining  you.  Quiet  me,  if  you  can 
honestly  do  so.— 

My  wife  has  been  here  on  a  visit  for  the  last  four 
days,  and  only  went  away  early  this  morning.  I  shall 
certainly  remain  here  another  fortnight.  Minna  has 
made  a  good  joke  ;  she  called  our  doctor  a  water-Jew  ! 
Capital !  Well,  but  he  does  me  no  harm !  I  already 
know  myself  what  is  good  for  me.  He  is  also  somewhat 
rough  and  unsympathetic, — a  money-speculator— rather 
than  charlatan.  He  is  no  longer  actually  a  physician, 
and  that  is  good  ;  twelve  years'  practice  have,  however, 
given  him  the  necessary  experience.  I  consider  and 
feel  myself  quite  on  the  road  to  recovery :  my  strict  diet 
helps  me  most  of  all ;  for  example,  of  an  evening  nothing 
except  a  piece  of  dry  bread  and — water.  Milk  only  of 
a  morning — no  butter  at  all.  Thus  I  am  making  good 
blood. 

X.  wrote  in  detail  to  me  yesterday.  He  sends  me  a 
copy  of  an  article  from  a  very  well-known — but  preferring 
to  remain  unknown — musician,  which — it  seems — you 
have  not  yet  read.  It  is  a  phenomenon  of  interest, 
and  you  must  try  and  get  it.  You  will  find  it  in  the 
Fueilleton  der  neuen  Oderzeitung,  28th,  3Oth,  or  3 1st 
July  :  "A  letter  about  Richard  Wagner." 

X.  is  righteously  wroth  about  the  mutilations  of 
Tannhduser  at  Weimar.  It  must  be  restored.  In 
short,  I  beg  you  (listen,  another  request !)  to  send  off 
at  once  to  Weimar  a  copy  of  the  Tannhanscr  score 
arranged  like  those  which  I  begged  you  to  have  in 
readiness.  Besides  the  new  ending — the  second  finale 
(as  we  gave  it  last  in  Dresden),  the  retouched  intro- 
duction to  the  third  Act,  etc.,  are  of  importance. 


TO    UHLIG.  135 

Have  you  yet  seen  Frau  P.  ? — 

I  have  received  no  fresh  numbers  of  the  Musik.  Zeitung. 
When  I  am  back  in  Zurich,  I  will  become  a  subscriber 
through  the  post ;  then,  perhaps,  things  will  be  in  order. 

(Please  let  me  know  what  you  have  expended  for  the 
Tannhduser  scores  ?) 

Hartels  have  not  yet  written  to  Liszt ;  they  certainly 
seem  to  have  stuffed  their  ears  with  wool ! — 

— Isn't  it  strange  that  the  most  important  articles  on 
my  works  are  never  in  musical,  but  in  other — for  the 
most  part  political — papers  ?— 

Enjoy  this  beautifully  coherent  letter  as  best  you 
may.  It  pleases  me  so  little  that  I  will  close  and 
send  it  off. — How  is  Elsa  going  on  ?  Farewell,  best 
friend  ! 

Always  your 

R.W. 

ALBISBRUNN,  October  yoth,  '51. 

(Still  no  news  from  the  R.'s.) 

41. 

Well !- — Hartels  have  only  just  read  the  "  Vorwort" 
and  will  not  venture  to  publish  it.  I  have  written  to 
A.  that  he  or  another  may  undertake  the  matter. 

I  have  just  written  to  the  R.'s. — 

You  will  receive,  according  to  my  instructions  to 
Weber,  two  copies  of  Oper  und  Drama :  one  is 
for  Rilhlemann :  best  greetings  to  him  from  me. 
Heartiest  wishes  for  Elsa's  recovery  ! — I  have  no 
fresh  news. — 

I    quite    understood   your  joke — very    good  !     Your 


136  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

"Confessions"  excellent.  I  congratulate  you  !  Likewise 
the  remarks  about  Sattler.  You  are  the  right  sort  of 
chap  !  Good-bye,  old  fellow  ! 

Your 
R.  W. 

November  1st,  '51. 

42. 

A  couple  of  lines  in  great  haste,  so  that  you  may 
get  an  answer  to-day.  After  all,  there  is  not  much  to 
answer.  Only  about  one  thing  don't  be  anxious  ;  your 
letters  have  all  reached  me,  and  in  proper  time.  I 
wrote  my  last  letter  but  one  about  an  hour  before 
yours  arrived. — 

I  am  going  on  fairly  well.  Besides  the  water  business, 
I  am  busy  building  a  house  on  paper — with  a  pair  of 
compasses  and  ruler.  Later  on  I  shall  construct  it  in 
cardboard.  I  shall  still  remain  here  a  fortnight — in  the 
snow  and  cold ;  but  'tis  no  matter. 

I  have  already  written  you  about  the  affair  with 
Hartels  ;  I  am  now  expecting  an  answer  from  A.  I 
think  the  matter  will  be  arranged.  But  how  the  whole 
thing  drags. — 

I  have  received  the  Musikalische  Zeitung.  But  this 
you  know :  I  have  already  complimented  you.  During 
the  winter,  on  principle,  I  shall  idle  myself  into  health, 
and  only  sketch  just  as  fancy  takes  me.  I  am  planning 
three  dramas  (the  second  and  third  of  which  are  the 
two  Siegfrieds)  and  a  big  Vorspiel.  When  all  is  ready, 
I  think  of  carrying  it  out  in  my  own  manner. 

Poor,  poor  fellow !    To  transcribe  X.  is  truly  a  heavy 


TO    UHLIG.  137 

job.     Best  thanks  for  it.     It's  just  possible  I  may  get 
hold  of  his  book  ;  but  whether  I  shall  read  it ? 

I  have  written  to  Hartels  about  the  copy  for  X.  If 
it  must  be — greet  him  from  me.  But  surely  I  shall  not 
have  to  write  to  him  ? — 

Take  care  of  little  Elsa  ;  it's  a  good  thing  the  illness 
is  over. 

Well,  good-bye !  Write  soon  again,  will  you  not  ? 
I  will  not  fail  to  do  so ;  if  only  I  had  as  much  matter 
as  inclination  to  write  to  you. — Best  greetings. 

Your 
R.  W. 

November  yd,  '5 1 . 

43- 

I  write  to  you  again  to-day,  so  as  not  to  forget 
something  important. — 

Already  in  Dresden  I  tried  my  hardest  to  buy  a  book^ 
which,  however,  was  long  out  of  print.  I  found  it  at  last 
at  the  royal  library.  It  is  a  thin  little  volume,  small 
octavo,  or  even  duodecimo,  and  is  called  "Die  Wol- 
sungasaga,"  translated  from  the  old  Norse  by  H.  van  der 
Hagen.  It  forms  part,  I  believe,  of  the  old  northern 
Ritterromane,  which  Hagen — if  I  mistake  not — published 
in  Breslau  between  1812  and  1816.  I  now  want  to  look 
through  this  book  again.  There  is  no  means  of  getting 
it  here.  There  is  therefore  no  help  for  it,  best  friend ; 
you  will  have  to  be  good  enough  to  borrow  this  book 
from  the  royal  library  for  yourself,  and  then  send  it  to 
me  here  for  a  short  time.  You  might,  perhaps,  pack  it 
up  with  something  (Figaro  ?),  and  I  will  then  send  it 
you  back — at  latest  in  a  fortnight — with  your  Rausse 
books.  Of  course,  everything  through  the  post. — My 


138  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS. 

music— when  you  have  done  looking  through  it — could 
very  well  be  sent  by  carrier.  I  think  you  have  nothing 
to  risk  with  the  book ;  for — in  the  worst  case,  should  it 
be  lost,  or  should  there  be  a  question  of  breach  of  trust, 
you  would  only  have  to  make  good  this  loss  to  the 
library — i.e.,  pay  the  price  of  the  book.  But  it  won't 
come  to  that. 

For  the  moment,  I  can  only  tell  you  a  little  about 
the  intended  completion  of  the  great  dramatic  poem 
which  I  have  now  in  hand.  Just  reflect  that— before  I 
wrote  the  poem  Siegfried's  Death,  I  sketched  out  the 
whole  myth  in  all  its  gigantic  sequence ;  and  that  poem 
was  the  attempt — which,  with  regard  to  our  theatre, 
appeared  possible  to  me — to  give  one  chief  catastrophe 
of  the  myth,  together  with  an  indication  of  that  sequence. 
Now,  when  I  set  to  work  to  write  out  the  music  in  full, 
still  keeping  our  modern  theatre  firmly  in  mind,  I  felt 
how  incomplete  the  proposed  undertaking  would  be  ;  the 
vast  train  of  events,  which  first  gives  to  the  characters 
their  immense  and  striking  significance,  would  be  pre- 
sented to  the  mind  merely  by  means  of  epic  narrative. 
So  to  make  Siegfried's  Death  possible,  I  wrote  Young 
Siegfried;  but  the  more  the  whole  took  shape,  the  more 
did  I  perceive,  while  developing  the  scenes  and  music  of 
Young  Siegfried,  that  I  had  only  increased  the  necessity 
for  a  clearer  presentation  of  the  whole  story  to  the  senses. 
I  now  see  that,  in  order  to  become  intelligible  on  the 
stage,  I  must  work  out  the  whole  myth  in  plastic  style. 
It  was  not  this  consideration  alone  which  impelled  me 
to  my  new  plan,  but  especially  the  overpowering  im- 
pressiveness  of  the  subject-matter  which  I  thus  acquire 
for  presentation,  and  which  supplies  me  with  a  wealth 


TO    UHLIG.  139 

of  material  for  artistic  fashioning  which  it  would  be  a  sin 
to  leave  unused.  Think  of  the  contents  of  the  narrative 
of  Briinnhilde,  in  the  last  scene  of  Young  Siegfried — 
the  fate  of  Siegmund  and  Sieglind ;  the  struggle  of 
Wodan  with  his  desire  and  with  custom  (Fricka) ;  the 
noble  defiance  of  the  Walkiire;  the  tragic  anger  of 
Wodan  in  punishing  this  defiance.  Think  of  this  from 
my  point  of  view,  with  the  extraordinary  wealth  .of 
situations  brought  together  in  one  coherent  drama,  and 
you  have  a  tragedy  of  most  moving  effect ;  one  which 
clearly  presents  to  the  senses  all  that  my  public  needs 
to  have  taken  in,  in  order  easily  to  understand — in  their 
widest  meaning- —  Young  Siegfried  and  the  Death.  These 
three  dramas  will  be  preceded  by  a  grand  introductory 
play,  which  will  be  produced  by  itself  on  a  special  opening 
festival  day.  It  begins  with  Alberich,  who  pursues  the 
three  water-witches  of  the  Rhine  with  his  lust  for  love, 
is  rejected  with  merry  fooling  by  one  after  the  other,  and, 
mad  with  rage,  at  last  steals  the  Rhine  gold  from  them. 
This  gold  in  itself  is  only  a  shining  ornament  in  the  depth 
of  the  waves  (Siegfried's  Death,  Act  iii.,  Sc.  i),  but  it 
possesses  another  power,  which  only  he  who  renounces 
love  can  succeed  in  drawing  from  it.  (Here  you  have 
the  plasmic  motive  up  to  Siegfried's  death.  Think  of  all 
its  pregnant  consequences.)  The  capture  of  Alberich  ; 
the  dividing  of  the  gold  between  the  two  giant  brothers  ; 
the  speedy  fulfilment  of  Alberich's  curse  on  these  two,  the 
one  of  whom  immediately  slays  the  other, — all  this  is 
the  theme  of  this  introductory  play. — But  I  have  already 
chattered  too  much,  and  even  that  is  too  little  to  give  you 
a  clear  idea  of  the  vast  wealth  of  the  subject-matter. 
I  should  much  like  to  have  that  Wolsungasaga  once 


140  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

more ;  not  to  take  it  as  a  model, — you  will  soon  find 
out  what  relation  my  poem  holds  to  this  saga, — but  to 
recall  exactly  to  my  memory  everything  which  I  had 
once  conceived  of  the  individual  details.— 

But  one  other  thing  determined  me  to  develop  this 
plan — viz.,  the  impossibility  which  I  felt  of  producing 
Young  Siegfried  in  anything  like  a  suitable  manner  either 
at  Weimar — or  anywhere  else.  I  cannot  and  will  not 
endure  any  more  the  martyrdom  of  things  done  by  halves. 
With  this  my  new  conception  I  withdraw  entirely  from 
all  connection  with  our  theatre  and  public  of  to-day  ;  I 
break  decisively  and  for  ever  with  the  formal  present. 
Do  you  now  ask  me  what  I  propose  to  do  with  my 
scheme  ? — First  of  all,  to  carry  it  out,  so  far  as  my 
poetical  and  musical  powers  will  allow.  This  will 
occupy  me  at  least  three  full  years.  And  so  I  place 
my  future  quite  in  R.'s  hands ;  God  grant  that  they 
may  remain  unfalteringly  true  to  me! — 

I  can  only  think  of  a  performance  under  quite  other 
conditions.  I  shall  erect  a  theatre  on  the  banks  of  the 
Rhine,  and  issue  invitations  to  a  great  dramatic  festival. 
After  a  year's  preparation,  I  shall  produce  my  complete 
work  in  a  series  of  four  days. 

However  extravagant  this  plan  may  be,  it  is  never- 
theless the  only  one  to  which  I  can  devote  my  life  and 
labours.  If  I  live  to  see  it  accomplished,  I  have  lived 
gloriously  ;  if  not,  I  die  for  something  grand.  Only 
this  can  still  give  me  any  pleasure.  Farewell  ! 

Your 
R.  W. 

ALBISBRUNN,  November  12th,  '51. 

Still  no  news  to-day  from  A.     Would  you  be  kind 


TO    UHLIG.  141 

enough  to  write  to  A.,  and  also  to  H artels  ?  They 
might  let  me  know  how  matters  stand!  I  almost  believe 
they  do  not  get  my  letters  ! 

44. 

TUESDAY  MORNING. 

It  is  again  long  since  I  had  news.  For  the  last 
five  days  I  have  been  expecting  an  answer  from  A. 
concerning  the  publication  of  the  three  opera  poems.  I 
am  out  of  all  patience  that  just  this  preface,  the  conclusion 
of  which — as  regards  Weimar- — no  longer  agrees  with 
my  latest  decision,  appears  much  too  late.  Now  I  shall 
be  almost  compelled  to  let  Liszt  have  earlier  warning 
that  our  opera  compact  is  at  an  end,  for  by  that 
"  Mittheilung  "  he  will  see  that  it  really  was  my  honour- 
able intention  to  work  for  Weimar.  Now,,  to  my  great 
disgust,  I  must  still  read  the  insipid  announcement  of  a 
"Jung  Siegfried"  (Pfugh  !  how  affected  !)  It  is  really 
too  ridiculous  and  vexatious.- — As  soon  as  I  have  written 
to  Liszt,  I  will  beg  you  to  see  about  a  new  notice  for  the 
musical  papers,  in  which  the  matter  can  be  explained. 
By  the  way,  try  and  induce  Brendel,  in  my  name,  not 
to  accept  anything  more  from  H.  " aus  Zurich"  I  am 
sufficiently  vexed  that  we  sent  the  stuff  the  first  time. 
Brendel  may,  after  all,  have  thought  that  he  was  obliging 
me  in  accepting  it.  Let  him  accept  any  trash  he  will,  but 
— if  he  really  wishes  to  oblige  me — nothing  more  from 
H.  aus  Ziirich.  Quite  apart  from  the  utterly  disgraceful 
insipidity  of  these  communications,  they  cause  such 
stupid  confusion  here  ;  and,  at  last,  people  will  think  / 
am  at  the  bottom  of  it.  So,  do  not  forget  !— 

Last  Friday  evening,  just  as  I  had  left  my  hip-bath, 


142  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

the  postmaster  of  Hausen  rushed,  all  out  of  breath, 
into  my  room,  and  showed  me  Friday's  Zurich  paper, 
in  which  was  written  : — 

"  Richard  Wagner,  at  present  living  in  Zurich,  has 
received  full  pardon  from  the  king  of  Saxony.  (He 
had  been  condemned  to  a  long  term  of  imprisonment 
for  participation  in  the  May  revolution.)" 

To  the  astonishment  of  my  good  postmaster,  I  re- 
mained terribly  indifferent.  Since  then  I  have  received 
no  confirmation  of  the  news ;  so  probably  it  is  not  correct. 
If  indeed  there  were  any  truth  in  the  report,  the  only 
thing  I  could  do  would  be  to  ask  to  be  denationalized 
from  Saxony,  in  order  to  become  a  citizen  here.  With 
a  Swiss  pass,  I  could  then  travel  wherever  I  liked,  but  I 
certainly  would  not  come  to  Germany.  However,  for  the 
present  it  is  all  talk,  and  I  will  not  swagger  and  make 
myself  ridiculous.  Let  me  add  only  this — my  pardon 
would  be  a  striking  evidence  of  arbitrariness. — 

Now  something  about  my  cure.  For  my  wife's  sake, 
I  have  now  settled  to  go  home  again  on  Sunday, 
November  23rd  ;  the  24th  is  our  fifteenth  wedding 
anniversary.  For  the  moment,  this  is  how  I  spend  my 
day  : — I.  Early,  at  half-past  five,  wrapping  up  in  a 
wet  sheet  till  seven  o'clock ;  then  cold  tub  and  a 
walk.  Eight  o'clock,  breakfast  :  dry  bread  and  milk, 
or  water.  2.  Again  a  short  walk ;  then  a  cold  com- 
press. 3.  About  twelve  o'clock,  rubbing  down  with 
damp  towels;  a  short  walk;  another  compress.  Then 
dinner  in  my  room,  to  avoid  indigestion.  An  hour's 
idleness  ;  a  stiff  walk  of  two  hours — :alcne.  4.  About 
five  o'clock,  rubbing  down  inaga  and  a  short  walk.  5. 
About  six  o'clock  a  hip-bath,  lasting  a  quarter  of  an 


TO    UHLIG.  143 

hour,  followed  by  a  walk  to  promote  circulation. 
Another  compress.  Supper  about  seven  o'clock  :  dry 
bread  and  water.  6.  Then  at  six  o'clock  a  whist  party 
until  nine,  after  which  another  compress,  and  then 
about  ten  o'clock  to  bed.  I  bear  this  regime  very  well 
now ;  perhaps  I  shall  still  increase  it.  For  four  weeks 
I  have  sweated  sulphur,  and  then  my  wet  cloth  has 
become  reddish :  I  am  assured  that  this  proceeds  from 
the  mercury.  A  great  deal  of  perspiration,  with  body 
at  high  temperature.  My  eruption  came  out  again ; 
now  it  is  gradually  disappearing. — When  I  am  back  in 
Zurich,  I  shall  continue  the  cure.  I  shall  do  little  work  ; 
only  plan  and  sketch  from  time  to  time.  If  necessary, 
my  wife  will  have  to  see  to  my  wet-packing.  Very 
severe  diet ;  so  it  would  be  the  very  deuce  were  I  not 
to  live  a  little  while  yet  in  good  health.  I  shall,  I  think, 
one  day  accomplish  something. — What  do  you  think  ? — 
Now  I  will  see  if  I  get  a  letter  from  you  to-day. — Yes, 
one  has  come.  For  to-day  only  a  short  answer.  I  am 
greatly  astonished  that  the  P.  has  no  scores  ;  perhaps 
she  has  some  without  knowing  it.  Natalie  made  a  note 
of  them  ;  I'll  get  her  to  write.  Emilie  cannot  possibly 
bring  the  things  with  her ;  of  course  not ;  send  them 
by  carrier.  That  will  cost  least.  But  first  you  can 
look  carefully  through  everything,  just  as  the  fancy 
takes  you.  In  what  you  send  me,  keep  only  to  that 
which  I  asked  for.  The  printed  things  I  really  do 
not  want ;  please  accept  them  as  a  present  from  me, 
if  you  care  for  them  and  they  are  not  in  your  way. 
So  only  my  operas,  as  I  mentioned.  If  X.  will  spare 
me,  as  a  gift  of  honour,  a  piano  score  of  Ricnzi,  and 
one  of  the  new  Tannhauscr,  send  these  also.  I  have 


144  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

still  the  piano  score  of  the  Dutchman,  but  the  rest  is 
missing. — I  should  like  to  have  all  these  in  the  course 
of  the  winter. — More  shortly.  Between  the  arrival  and 
departure  of  the  post  there  is  here  only  a  cursed  short 
time.  If  the  Musik.  Zeitung  arrives  punctually,  I  shall 
be  delighted ;  up  to  now  there  are  no  signs  of  it. 

(Introductory  play  :  the  Rape  of  the  Rhine  Gold.  I. 
Siegmund  and  Sieglind :  the  Punishment  of  the  Walkiire. 
II.  and  III.  you  know.  Adieu  for  to-day.) 

Your 
R.  W. 

45- 

.  I  have  just  made  up  the  packet  for  Weimar.  It 
contains  :  I.  A  big  letter  of  three  sheets  to  Liszt ;  2.  a 
letter  to  Ziegesar,  with  two  hundred  thalers  (which  K. 
has  given  me) ;  and  3.  The  poem  of  Young  Siegfried, 
which  I  now  send  with  a  light  heart  to  Liszt  to  read. 

The  windfall  in  the  R.  family  just  at  this  moment 
appears  to  me  almost  a  dispensation  of  Providence. 
The  yearly  allowance  which  Frau  R.  now  allots  to  me 
will  prove  a  powerful  defence  against  the  pressure  of 
compromise  and  commonness,  as  well  as  a  mighty 
weapon  against  the  faint-heartedness  of  the  art-world 
of  to-day.  Even  without  this  piece  of  luck — so  far,  you 
know  me  well — I  would  not  have  moved  a  step  out  of 
my  path,  and  the  latest  crisis  in  my  artistic  plans  would 
have  come  about  not  one  jot  otherwise  than  is  now  the 
case.  Only  I  should  have  had  such  troubles,  anxieties, 
and  struggles,  that  I  must  have  set  to  work  in  sad  and 
bitter  mood,  and  not,  as  now,  in  the  highest  spirits. 
Say  this  to  my  dear  friend,  Frau  R.  Tell  her  that 
perhaps  even  she  cannot  estimate  what,  by  her  latest 


TO    UHLIG.  145 

promise,  she  has  done  for  me — perhaps  for  us  all. — 
But  tell  her  besides,  that  when,  through  you,  she  gave 
me  the  advice  not  to  break  with  Weimar  without 
necessity,  she  had  no  idea  of  the  state  of  matters.  Say 
to  her  that  it  was  not  arrogance,  obstinacy,  or  caprice 
that  made  me  feel  unfriendly  towards  Weimar ;  but 
that  now  I  have  a  scheme  which — by  its  very  nature 
and  the  manner  in  which  it  has  taken  root  in  my  mind 
— quite  prevents  me  from  thinking  any  more  about 
Weimar.  Ought  she  not  to  trust  me,  feeling  that,  at 
least  now,  I  should  never  change  my  mind  unless  there 
were  some  real  occasion  for  it  ? 

I  cannot  write  much  more  to  you,  for  it  is  getting 
late. — Do  deliver  this  letter  to  Frau  P. ;  it  will  calm  the 
good  woman. — 

A. — at  last — writes  to  me  that  Hartels  are  quite  willing 
to  keep  my  book ;  only  I  must  make  a  few  changes. 
If  the  fools  would  only  send  me  what  I  am  to  alter  ! — 

Why  three  articles  on  the  first  part  of  Oper  und 
Drama,  which  really  contains  little  but  criticism,  and 
only  two  on  the  third  part  ?  Yet  this  third  part  is 
indeed  the  most  important  to  bring  to  a  proper  under- 
standing, because  it  goes  to  the  root  of  the  matter.  Do 
not  forget,  as  centre  and  axis  of  the  whole,  to  give 
prominence  to  "  subject-matter " — second  part ;  for  the 
important  point  here  is,  that  I  treat  form  purely  from 
this  aspect,  whereas  others  have  always  dealt  with  form 
quite  apart  from  contents. — 

The  Norma  Aria  (for  Lablache  in  Paris)  is  the  famous 
number  alluded  to  ;  is  it  not  ? 

Farewell  for  to-day  !  Your 

R.  W. 
10 


146  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

New  address  :  am  Zeltweg,  Zurich. 

No  more.   I  return  on  Sunday,  so  write  now  to  Zurich. 

November  2Oth,  '51. 

46. 

Well,  what  more  do  you  want  ?  I  have  just 
written  a  "  most  complimentary  "  letter  to  Brendel,  which 
is  to  go  off  at  the  same  time  as  this  one.  I  offer,  for 
the  future,  to  be  an  occasional  contributor  to  his  paper. 
Are  you  satisfied  now  ? — 

I  am  back  again  in  Zurich  since  the  beginning  of  the 
week.  The  cure  has  worked  wonders  with  me ;  my 
lightness  of  head  and  general  state  of  bodily  well-being 
open  up  to  me  a  new  world.  I  have  done  well  to  dis- 
continue the  really  severe  regime.  Only  think,  I  bathed 
lately  in  water  of  only  three  degrees  of  heat !  Rest 
and  attention  to  diet,  rather  than  any  particular  treat- 
ment, will  now  do  me  good.  But  I  do  not  give  up  the 
bath,  only  take  the  chill  off  up  to  ten  degrees.  In  other 
matters  I  remain  a  strict  waterman  ;  dry  bread,  with  milk, 
in  the  morning,  but  only  with  water  in  the  evening.  For 
dinner :  English  cookery — vegetables  cooked  in  water 
and  meat  roasted  on  a  spit,  which  my  wife  had  to  procure. 
Last  Monday,  in  honour  of  our  wedding  anniversary, 
my  Swiss  confederates  spent  the  evening  at  my  house. 
They  boozed,  as  is  their  wont ;  and  my  disgust  at  this 
hard  drinking,  without  which  these  unfortunate  fellows 
have  not  a  spark  of  mirth  or  wit,  completely  convinced 
me  of  my  real  cure.  I  can  no  longer  conceive  that 
anything  could  happen,  or  that  I  could  fall  into  any 
misfortune,  which  would  make  me  again  have  recourse 
to  wine,  beer,  etc.  So  I  revel  in  an  enjoyment  of  health 


TO    UHLIG.  147 

of  which— as  I  now  consciously  enjoy  it — I  had  no 
conception.  My  unimpaired  spirits  and  constant  good 
humour — which,  in  spite  of  the  weakness  resulting  from 
the  last  severe  treatment,  have  never  left  me — always 
afford  me  a  ready  answer  to  stupid  scoffings:  that  I 
don't,  for  instance,  need  wine  to  be  merry,  and  that 
I  can  get  on  very  well  without  the  seedy  effects,  etc.  I 
now  take  a  childlike  interest  in  things  to  which  already 
I  had  become  indifferent — e.g.,  about  our  new  house, 
which  is  certainly  small,  but  cosy  and  quiet.  With 
truly  childlike  joy,  every  day  I  bring  in  something  to 
make  our  exile  home  more  complete  and  comfortable. 
So  now  I  have  had  my  "complete  works"  bound  in 
red :  there  are  already  five  volumes ;  the  three  opera 
poems  will  make  the  sixth. 

These  trifles  exercise  a  beneficent  and  diverting 
effect  on  my  over-excited  mind,  just  as  a  hip-bath 
soothes  the  head  ;  and,  like  this,  I  intend  those  to  form 
part  of  my  regime.  Besides,  my  artistic  plans  are 
spreading  out  before  me,  and  ever  becoming  richer, 
more  pleasurable,  and  more  decided ;  and  it  is  with 
quite  a  shiver  of  delight  that  I  think  of  soon  working 
them  out.  Also,  my  plans  have  a  practical  bearing ; 
much  I  may  perhaps  make  possible  which  lately  seemed 
beyond  me :  in  this  I  am  specially  helped  by  K.'s  noble 
and  clear  understanding.  So  you  will  still  see  me 

accomplish  something  real but  more  about  that 

when  my  scheme  is  riper ! 

But  I  say  to  you  further,  that  I  thoroughly  well 
understand  my  condition,  and  do  not  in  the  least 
deceive  myself  about  the  fact  that,  as  yet,  I  am  not 
fully  restored  to  health.  I  am  only  on  the  right  road 


148  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

to  a  complete  cure,  and  this  I  shall  effect  in  the  spring, 
when  I  think  of  returning  at  the  end  of  March  to  the 
hydropathic  establishment. 

So  much  about  this  for  to-day ! — 
So  I  have  received  Oper  und  Drama.  Weber  informs 
me  that  you  have  already  three  copies.  If  you  can 
really  make  good  and  advantageous  use  of  the  third 
copy,  act  according  to  your  judgment.  If  not,  send  it 
to  me  by  post ;  I  shall  have  it  interleaved,  so  as  to  be 
of  service  in  the  preparation  of  a — possible — second 
edition. 

Do  not  be  anxious  about  the  changes  in  the  preface 
to  the  three  opera  poems !  How  can  you  think  I  had 
changed  anything  of  vital  importance !  Nothing  in  it 
could  really  be  altered  ;  better  leave  the  whole  unpub- 
lished. No,  to  people  of  that  kind,  in  constant  fear  of  the 
censorship,  it  is  mere  secondary  matters,  single  expres- 
sions, and  strong  figures  of  speech,  that  are  offensive. 
You  will  receive  the  alterations  for  correction,  and  by 
them  will  see  that  only  what  is  trivial — or  perhaps 
useless — is  left  out ;  and  even  of  this  sort  very  little. 

Lately  I  have  asked  Hartels  for  the  last  sheets  of  the 
preface.  Since  it  has  lasted  so  long,  the  announcement 
of  my  latest  works  had  better  be  made  more  in  con- 
formity with  my  latest  resolves,  i.e.,  without  "  Weimar." 
Go  please  once  more  to  Frau  P.,  with  friendly  greetings 
to  her  in  my  name,  and  tell  her  that  my  wife  assures 
me  she  had  the  following  scores — which  she  did  not 
give  to  Frau  H. — stowed  away  in  Frau  P.'s  attic : — 
Ricnzi,  six  copies ;  Tannhauser,  five  copies ;  Flying 
Dutchman,  four  copies.  She  had  these  clearly  noted 
down  by  Natalie,  and  a  memorandum  to  this  effect  now 


TO    UHLIG.  149 

lies  before  me.  So  if  the  scores  are  not  to  be  found  in 
the  attic,  Herr  Heinrich  Brockhaus  must  have  carried 
them  off  by  mistake  with  the  books  to  Leipzig;  and  I 
should  then  be  much  obliged  if  Madame  P.  would  claim 
the  same  from  her  brother,  and  then  hand  them  over 
to  you.  The  library,  which  that  gentleman  has  in 
keeping — as  security  for  a  debt — will  very  shortly  be 
redeemed. 

Best  greetings  to  Fischer.  I  thank  him  very  much  for 
his  friendly  letter,  which  I  intend  very  soon  to  answer. 
(Though  I  do  not  know  what  I  ought  to  write  to  him. 
He  writes  as  if  every  one  in  Dresden  were  so  infatuated 
with  Lohengrin  as  to  want  it  put  into  rehearsal  at  once, 
and  that  really  only  my  obstinacy  stood  in  the  way  of 
an  immediate  performance.  I,  however,  hear  from  all 
quarters  that  the  management  is  of  quite  another  mind  : 
— Is  that  not  ridiculous  ?) 

Good-bye !  good-bye  !  for  to-day  !  Greetings  to  yours, 
and  especially  to  my  little  Elsa — Madame  Lohengrin  ! — 
give  her  plenty  of  water,  and  not  too  much  medicine  ! — 

Please  give  friendly  greetings  also  to  the  R.'s. — Yes, 
now  it's  quite  another  matter  with 

.       Your 

ZURICH  (ZELTWEG),  November  2%th,  '51.  R.  \V. 

47- 

"Figaro"  must  again  perform  messenger's  service! 
Already  I  very  much  wanted  to  let  you  (especially  the 
R.'s)  read  my  last  letter  to  Liszt,  because  I  have  most 
clearly  explained  in  it  the  motives  which  led  to  my 
latest  decision  with  regard  to  my  future  artistic  plans. 
Now  you  also  want  the  letter  concerning  the  Goethe 


150  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

foundation  :  then  it's  time  to  see  about  Figaro. — If 
anything  of  the  sort  should  happen  again,  the  Rausse 
books  will  follow. — The  horrid  manuscript  will  give 
you  much  trouble.  It  is  certainly  not  intended  for 
everybody,  so  be  careful  before  you  read  it  to  any  one. 
The  copies  in  Liszt's  possession  are — this  I  mention 
incidentally — much  more  complete. 

Many  thanks  for  sending  the  764,835^  part  of  the 
royal  Saxon  state  library. 

I  will  quickly  answer  one  thing  to-day,  lest  it  should 
get  forgotten. — The  article  on  Schumann  was  one  of  great 
weight  and  significance  ;  if  only  Brendel  knew  what  he 
has  in  you  !  The  contents  of  your  smallest  contribution 
are  great,  and  are  now  nearly  always  most  refined  and 
appropriate  in  expression. — Roger — excellent. — 

I  am  expecting  a  letter  from  Brendel.  Whether  he 
gets  anything  from  me  for  his  new  year's  number 
depends  upon  my  humour,  which  I  do  not  wish  to  force 
in  any  way.  Some  new  arrangement  must  be  made 
about  the  sending  of  the  paper,  for  something  stupid 
is  always  happening.  The  last  time  I  had  to  pay  5^ 
batzen,  and  what  did  I  receive  in  return  ?  Nothing  new 
except  your  Schumann  article !  All  the  rest  were  old 
articles,  which  I  had  already  received  from  him.  I  should 
have  liked  always  to  receive  at  once,  through  the  post, 
each  fresh  number  that  contains  one  of  your  articles. 
Instead  of  that,  B.  waits  until  there  are  several  numbers, 
so  that  you  write  about  the  appearance  of  a  new  article 
long  before  I  get  it ;  whereas,  in  my  opinion,  I  ought  to 
receive  the  paper  at  the  same  time  as  your  letter.  — 

From  the  new  year  I  will  order  a  copy  for  myself,  to 
be  sent  actually  by  post;  for  even  if  B.  were  willing  to 


TO    UHLIG.  151 

let  me  have  the  copy  gratis,  I  am  sure  it  would  always  be 
posted  too  late.  A  thing  of  that  kind  annoys  me  beyond 
measure.  With  all  my  Leipzig  orders  it  seems  as  if  I 
put  my  hand  into  .  .  . 

My  Zurich  print-seller  seems  also  to  dabble  in  ... 
as  you  have  not  yet  received  any  portraits.  I  will  inquire 
about  them  again  to-day ;  but  in  the  meantime,  let  me 
know  if  I  may  send  you  direct  a  number  of  portraits, 
which  you  or  some  one  else  would  undertake  to  sell  ?  In 
this  case,  how  many  ?  etc.  Besides,  as  I  am  far  away  from 
Germany,  and  shall  probably  remain  so  for  some  time, 
it  is  quite  possible  that  my  friends  would  be  pleased  to 
have  before  them  a  good  portrait  of  myself  (instead  of 
my  very  self)  ; — and  as  it  further  annoys  me  not  to 
appear  before  them  as  I  now  am,  but  always  as  I  used 
to  look  long  ago — allowing  for  the  painstaking  violence 
done  me  by  the  lithograph — I  have  had  the  extremely 
vain  (be  it  so  !)  thought  that  it  would  be  well  if  a  German 
music-  or  print-seller  would  decide  to  have  a  new  portrait 
taken.  He  would  then  have  to  give  the  order  to  a  por- 
trait painter  here,  to  take  me  and  send  the  drawing  on 
to  him — voila  tout! — Perhaps  the  drawing  of  Kietz — 
made  in  March  of  last  year,  and,  in  my  opinion,  a  very 
successful  one — could  at  once  be  used  for  that  purpose. 
It  only  comes  to  finding  some  one  who  would  take  up 
the  matter.  I,  of  course,  cannot  propose  this  to  any 
one,  but  perhaps  you  or  some  one  else  could. — 

So  much  for  the  portrait  business  ! — Be  good  enough 
to  write  to  Hartels  somewhat  to  this  effect : — the  copyist 
has  finished  the  score.  Do  they  want  it  for  the  purpose 
of  engraving  ?  If  not,  you  must  consider  yourself, 
according  to  previous'  agreement,  pledged  to  send  it 


152  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

back  to  me. — They  might  as  well  write  to  me  and 
explain,  etc.  Stupid  nonsense  ! 

To-day  I  have  written  to  Feuerbach.  I  am  trying, 
with  Herwegh,  to  get  him  to  pay  us  a  visit  here  shortly. 
If  we  succeed,  our  circle  will  become  still  more  attractive 
and  brilliant. 

We  have  a  very  good  orchestra  here  this  winter. 
The  musical  director  of  the  theatre,  a  young  man  of 
twenty-two,  is  thoroughly  competent — he  has  both  fire 
and  precision.  I  have  been  again  requested  to  conduct 
three  symphonies :  I  choose  No.  8,  the  Pastoral,  and 
the  C  minor.  As  for  other  things,  I  do  not  allow  myself 
to  be  worried.  My  disgust  increases.  I  live  only  for 
my  health  and — for  my  dramatic  plans.— 

Apropos !  Baumgartner  has,  at  his  own  expense, 
had  his  songs  published  by  Senff.  See  if  you  could 
not  take  this  opportunity  to  write  a  really  good  article 
on  the  modern  drawing-room  song,  and — put  in  a  good 
word  for  Baumgartner.  I  should  be  glad,  for  the  young 
fellow's  sake ! — 

Adieu  for  to-day.  More  shortly.  My  best  greetings 
to  yours  and  to  R.'s  ! 

ZELTWEG,  December  yd,  '5 1 . 

I  must  soon  have  both  of  Liszt's  letters  returned. 
Dorit  forget  this  ! 

Manage  in  some  way — perhaps  the  direct  one  would 
be  best — that  the  spare  copy  of  Oper  und  Drama  may 
reach  R.  at  W. 

48. 
DEAR  FRIEND, 

I  am  expecting  a  letter  from  you,  but  cannot 
wait   for   it,    as  I    have    to  ask  you  about  something 


TO   UHLIG.  I  5  3 

("  Keine   Ruh  bei  Tag  und  Nacht")  which   must  be 
attended  to  at  once. 

In  the  first  place  (en  passant) — there  is  an  inquiry  to  be 
made  at  Leipzig  of  Heinrich  Kirchner,  the  bookseller's 
agent,  about  the  portrait.  One  hundred  copies  were  sent 
to  him  some  time  ago  by  Fuessli  of  Zurich  (certainly  more 
than  will  ever  be  sold,  however  famous  you  make  me !). 

Then  I  beg  you  to  send  me  as  soon  as  possible  a 
score  of  Tannhauser  according  to  the  original  edition — 
without  any  changes — just  as  you  find  it.  I  specially 
want  it — of  course  nicely  bound  (that's  the  main  point !) 
to  give  for  a  Christmas  present  to  Baumgartner,  as 
I  have  learnt  that  it  will  afford  him  great  pleasure ; — 
and  besides,  he  buys  all  my  things  out  of  his  hard- 
earned  savings.  If  you  \vould  put  me  under  great 
obligation,  you  would  send  me  this — by  post,  please 
and,  at  least  this  time,  unpaid — and  also  half-a-dozen 
copies  of  those  Palm-Sunday-concert-programmes  to 
which  my  analysis  of  the  Ninth  Symphony  is  attached. 
I  have  always  forgotten  to  ask  for  them ;  this  time  I 
made  a  note  of  it.  If  a  copy  of  the  new  edition  of  the 
pianoforte  score  of  Tannhauser  can  be  had  already, 
I  should  be  glad  if  you  would  send  that  too. — 

And  further  ! 

Get  Wolfel  likewise  to  prepare  for  the  private  library 
of  my  most  illustrious  self  a  copy  of  the  Tannhauser  full 
score.  Nothing  is  to  be  changed  from  the  original  score, 
except  the  ending  of  the  Third  Act  and  the  introduction 
to  the  same  !  (i)  Wolfel  must  alter  the  introduction 
according  to  the  abbreviated  form,  so  that  the  new 
manuscript  may  join  on  to  a  corresponding  page  of  the 
original  score ;  he  must  write  the  new  on  the  same  sort 


154  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

of  paper,  and  with  the  same  distribution  of  space,  as  in  my 
score.  The  pagination,  which  through  this  will  get  out 
of  order,  he  must  set  right  by,  for  example,  doubling 
or  trebling  the  page  number  on  the  new  leaves  (190 
and  191),  etc.  (2)  He  must  copy  the  ending  as  he  has 
already  copied  it  for  the  score  of  the  Dresden  Court 
Theatre  (I  mean  so  far  as  paper  and  writing  is  concerned). 
I  only  wish  the  new  ending  to  be  made  complete,  exactly 
as  I  asked  you  to  do  for  the  pianoforte  score — i.e.,  with 
the  song  of  the  younger  pilgrims — well,  you  know ;  but 
it  will  be  difficult  to  make  this  clear  to  Wolfel. 

In  this  way  I  should  especially  like  to  possess  a  score 
of  my  Tannhauser  which  would  contain  it  just  as  I  want 
it  to  be.  The  cuts  which  I  only  arranged  on  account  of 
insufficient  means  of  representation  must  naturally  not  be 
made  here.  Send  this  score  to  me — when  it  is  ready. — 

Concerning  Lohengrin,  I  am  really  curious  to  hear 
from  H artels,  whether  they  will  quickly  take  the  score 
in  hand. — I  specially  need — and,  indeed,  very  soon — a 
score  for  myself.  If  H  artels  are  willing  at  once  to 
engrave  it,  they  shall  have — of  course — the  original 
score  ;  and  in  this  case  I  beg  that  Wolfel's  copy — 
which,  I  think,  must  now  be  ready — be  sent  quickly  on 
to  me.  But  if  Hartels  delay,  and  only  want  the  score 
for  their  stupid  arrangements,  etc. — they  must  be  con- 
tent with  the  copy  (a  mistake  or  two  will  not  matter), 
and  then  I  beg  for  the  original  as  soon  as  possible. 
So — best  of  men  ! — reflect !  Why  should  I  want  it  ?  I 
will  tell  you  ;  I  am  up  to  a  bit  of  fun  !  I  should  very 
much  like  for  once  to  hear  the  Vorspiel  well  performed 
by  an  orchestra.  To  manage  this  I  must  proceed  most 
carefully,  and  in  the  following  manner,  as  has  been 


TO    UHLIG.  155 

arranged  and  firmly  settled.  The  theatre  here  closes 
at  the  end  of  June.  For  the  first  week  in  July  I  shall 
engage  the  theatre  orchestra  for  an  eight-days'  rehearsal ; 
for  this  very  time  I  shall  engage  (or  maybe  only  invite) 
the  best  musicians  from  Berne,  Basle,  St.  Gall,  etc., 
in  order  to  gather  together  a  good  orchestra  of  from 
twenty  to  twenty-four  violins,  etc.  I  shall  send  on 
the  parts  beforehand  to  be  studied. — With  this  orchestra, 
and  a  body  of  singers  selected  from  the  best  sources 
here,  I  shall  rehearse  for  a  whole  week,  morning  and 
evening,  so  as  then  to  give  (i.e.,  to  repeat)  on  two  suc- 
cessive evenings  the  following  performance.  [N.B. — 
The  costs  of  this  undertaking,  to  be  recouped  by  raised 
prices,  etc.,  have  been  guaranteed  to  me  by  connoisseurs 
of  this  place.] 

PROGRAMME. 

By  way  of  introduction — 

Festal  March  and  Chorus  from  TannJuinser. 

ist  Part. 

(  The  Flying  Dutchman?) 
I.  (a}  Ballad. 

(b)   Sailors'  chorus. 
II.  Overture. 

2nd  Part. 
(  Tannhiiuser. ) 
I.  (a)  Introduction  to  the  third  act. 

(b)  Song  of  the  returning  pilgrims. 
II.  Overture. 

3rd  Part. 
(Lohengrin?) 

I.  The  great  instrumental  prelude. 
II.  (a)  Scene    for    chorus    from    the    second    act   (all    the 

D-major,  beginning  with  the  watch-tower  song). 
(d)  Wedding  music  (Introduction  to  the  third  act)  ;  bridal 
song  ;  and  then  wedding  music  repeated. 


156  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

This  programme  pleases  me  immensely  :  it  presents 
chronologically  the  growth  of  my  poetic  instinct,  in 
musical — so  to  say,  plastic  outline.  The  ballad  from 
the  Dutchman  at  the  beginning — the  wedding  music 
with  the  bridal  song  at  the  close :  from  the  most 
visionary  longing  to  the  chastest  realization ;  and 
everything  between  these  two,  just  as  it  follows  in  the 
great  process  of  our  development.  You  quite  under- 
stand my  programme,  do  you  not  ?  It-  is  a  musical 
working-out  of  my  preface  to  the  three  opera  poems, 
which  I  imagine  will  be  read  beforehand  by  all  who 
take  an  interest  in  me.  In  the  programme  I  shall  not 
hesitate,  clearly  and  directly  to  give  everything  neces- 
sary for  comprehension  ;  but  I  shall  put  the  following 
explanation  at  the  head : — 

If  I  wished  to  present  myself  completely — as  a 
dramatist — I  could  only  do  this  now  in  an  incomplete 
appearance  :  I  therefore  purposely  show  myself  incom- 
pletely, displaying  merely  one  side  of  my  nature,  so  as 
thus  at  least  to  escape  appearing  full  of  gaps  and  void 
of  clearness.  If  you  want  the  whole  of  me,  then  do 
your  part  to  make  it  possible.— 

I  will  tell  you  another  time  how  I  think  it  possible  to 
give  a  performance  of  those  three  operas — perhaps  in 
the  summer  of  1853 — in  an  equally  thorough  fashion 
as  I  am  now  attempting  with  these  mere  musical  ex- 
cerpts.— Anyhow,  my  friends  ought  not  to  sit  anxiously 
by  and  brood  over  interest  and  compound  interest.  For 
once,  a  few  wretched  shillings  capital  must  be  risked. — 
However,  enough  of  this  for  to-day  ! — It  will  be  a  pity 
if  I  give  my  whole  soul  to  the  matter,  and  have  always 
to  hear  a  groaning  hm  !  hm  ! — 


TO    UHLIG.  157 

You  have  probably  read  Liszt's  letter  which  I  sent  to 
Frau  R. ;  is  he  not  a  noble-hearted,  unprejudiced  fellow  I 
Even  where  he  does  not  as  yet  understand  me,  he  makes 
up  for  it  by  a  grand  enthusiasm. 

K.  is  back  again  in  Zurich  :  he  will  not  go  on  with 
the  cure  (and  in  winter  time  I  think  he  acts  wisely : — 
I  also  must  seriously  break  off,  as  of  late  I  went  in  for  it 
too  eagerly).  At  the  beginning  of  the  spring  we  are  both 
going  to  Hahn  at  Horn.  I  can  no  longer  trouble  about  a 
doctor,  and  I  am  bound  to  have  one  if  I  go  on  with  my 
cure !  End  of  March,  April,  May — I  think  by  the  be- 
ginning of  July  I  shall  be  all  ready  for  my  rehearsals  !— 

You  probably  do  not  expect  me  to  say  specially  what  I 
think  of  the  latest  Paris  news !  Are  we  both  agreed  that 
those  were  in  error  who  wished  to  give  to  that  circum- 
stance an  importance  which  it  could  not  possibly  have  ? 
It  was  the  result  of  the  previous  reactionary  conditions ; 
thus,  in  my  opinion,  only  a  chronic  symptom  of  ill- 
ness, and  in  no  wise  a  decisive,  acute  attack.  (Are 
you  aware,  too,  that  the  socialists  did  not  once  come 
to  blows  ?) 

So — a  struggle  between  two  reactionary  forces,  which 
rightly  (and  fortunately)  could  but  end  in  favour  of  the 
open,  free  force  as  against  intrigue  ! — 

Farewell,  good,  dear  fellow  !  Best  greetings,  and 
write  to  me  soon  ! 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  December  i$th,  '51. 

49. 

GOOD  PESCHKE  ! 

Is   the  neck-band  ready?     How  ever  will  you 


158  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

commence  with  the  black  Tonpc"?  Whence  will  you  get 
your  pleasant  face  ?  Whence  your  bent  complimentary 
back  ? — There  will  be  a  sad  falling  off,  from  Peschke  I. 
to  Peschke  II.  !  I  do  not  think  that  you  can  bow 
right  and  left,  with  such  severe  encouragement,  whilst 
fiddling.  Only  one  request  does  my  wife  make — 
that  you  do  not  forget,  if  you  wish  to  show  yourself 
worthy  of  your  new  position,  No.  5,  out  of  the  green,  and 
No.  7,  out  of  the  red  book  !  These  pieces  are  to  be  the 
real  triumphal  marches  of  Peschke  I.  So  do  not  forget. 

Dramatic-music-fiddling  fellow !  You  do  well  to 
accept  the  position.  I  respect  all  your  reasons ;  only 
one  thing  I  make  a  point  of :  insist  on  leave  of  absence, 
otherwise  it  is  all  up  with  you,  and  I  shall  become 
furiously  angry  with  you.  Put  forward  the  plea  of 
health !  I  can  really  not  give  up  either  wishing  or 
hoping  to  see  you  once  every  year.  I  look  upon 
the  fulfilment  of  this  wish  as  dependent  only  upon 
the  possibility  of  leave  of  absence :  so  far  as  the  rest 
is  concerned,  you  must  allow  me  to  say  a  word  or  two. 
For  example,  I  expect  you  to  be  present  when  I  give 
my  great  summer  concert,  in  Zurich,  next  year;  I 
engage  you  for  that  purpose ;  and  some  extra  receipts 
to  be  made  by  that  time  ("  together  with  a  fair 
honorarium "),  shall  provide  me  with  the  means  of 
paying  your  fee.  So  make  Luttichau  acquainted  with 
this,  and  ask  for  leave  of  absence  for  July  1852. 

And  so  with  the  increase  of  salary,  you  receive  at  the 
same  time  an  enormously  fat  boy,  without  my  knowing 
anything  beforehand  ?  Who  understands  better  than 
you  how  to  arrange  such  things  !  Everything  fits  in 
admirably,  and  for  the  150  thalers  a  new  mouth  is 


TO    UHLIG.  159 

found  to  swallow  them  up.  Had  you  not  already  named 
the  new  son  Siegfried,  I  would  now  counsel  you  to 
have  him  baptized  Peschke.  Perhaps  both  names  suit 
well  together — so  salute  Peschkesiegfried  ! 

Now  to  business ! 

I  thought  you  would  write  to  Frau  P.  in  the  way 
indicated  :  it  is  to  get  rid  of  uncertainty,  if  only  in 
matters  of  small  moment. 

As  Hartels  are  going  to  engrave  the  score,  it  is 
perhaps  best  for  Wolfel  to  finish  the  copy  commenced 
from  the  theatre  score ;  only  there  seems  to  be  no  hurry 
in  the  matter.  So  send  me  the  copy  as  far  as  it  is 
ready,  and  for  the  reason  which  I  gave  you  in  my  last 
letter.  I  hope  Wolfel  will  by  this  time  have  got  on  as 
far  as  the  beginning  of  the  third  act ;  if  not,  let  him 
write  out  quickly  the  orchestral  introduction  to  this 
act  and  the  bridal  song,  so  that  I  may  promptly  have 
in  my  possession  all  that  I  shall  require  for  my  concert. 
The  rest  he  can  write  out  at  his  leisure !  For  this 
winter  no  theatre  will  think  of  giving  the  Lohengrin, 
and  later  on,  the  printed  score  will  be  ready,  so  that 
Wolfel's  copy  has  practically  become  a  luxury  (even 
Brussels  makes  no  sign  !),  and  I  can  only  use  it 
privately.  So  far,  good  !  Now  let  me  proceed  ! 

I  have  not  yet  received  the  pianoforte  score  :  Hartels 
are  sending  it  by  carrier  !  (It  never  occurs  to  such 
people  to  send  on  one  copy  by  post.) — I  have  ordered 
a  copy  of  the  "  three  opera  poems "  for  Riihlemann. 
Kind  greetings  to  him  from  me,  and  give  him  my  best 
thanks  for  his  letter  :  he  must  forgive  me  if  I  do  not 
answer  it  at  once. — 

What  is  the  meaning  of  all  that  you  write  concerning 


160  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

the  "Critic  of  the  Gegcnwart"  ?  I  know  nothing  at  all 
about  it. — 

Frau  R.  has  now  endowed  me  so  liberally  with  scores 
and  silver  plate,  that  I  am  devilishly  inclined  to  make 
my  house  as  comfortable  as  possible  !  Please  say  to 
our  friend  th^t  I  am  exceedingly  thankful  to  her  for 
her  gifts,  and  especially  for  her  last  kind  letter :  in 
everything  she  has  given  me  great,  great  joy.— 

Dear  friend,  I  cannot  possibly  send  anything  to  X.  ! 
It  is  not  that  I  lack  a  general  desire,  but  I  am  not  at 
present  in  the  humour  to  write  anything  for  the  Musik. 
Zeitung.  I  could  only  bring  myself  to  write  spitefully, 
for  nothing  else  repays  one  for  the  trouble !  And  my 
malice  would  have  fallen  on  X.  himself,  whom  among 
others  I  should  have  had  to  inform  that  he  makes  a  great 
mistake  if,  for  example,  he  thinks  that  he  has  understood 
me  in  my  Art  and  Revolution,  when  he  bravely  waxes 
wroth  at  my  unjust  judgment  of  the  past  post-Grecian 
art  periods,  and  reproaches  me  for  having  regarded  them 
only  through  their  modern  caricature.  In  so  doing,  he 
does  not  reflect  that  this  very  caricature  is  precisely  the 
most  obvious,  most  forcible  physiognomy  of  the  real 
unnaturalness  of  our  whole  art-culture,  the  root  of  which 
sticks  fast  just  there,  where  Brendel  thinks  he  most 
must  riot  over  it.  How,  too,  can  an  "  impartial  critic  " 
so  entirely  overlook  my  main  contention,  which  in  my 
pamphlet  is  clearly  expressed,  viz.,  that  the  difference 
between  the  Grecian  and  our  own  art-period  consists 
just  in  this — that,  at  that  time,  Art  was  in  harmony  with 
•the  public  conscience,  and  was  cherished  by  it ;  whilst 
now  true  Art  (the  actuality  of  which  I  there  assume) 
must  proclaim  itself  in  opposition  to  our  public  opinion 


TO    UHLIG.  l6l 

and  customs,  and  therefore  (end  and  conclusion  of  my 
whole  investigation)  be  revolutionary  ?  How  superficial 
X.  is  when  he  becomes  profound  ! 

Enough !  I  could  not  write  anything  without  express- 
ing my  contempt  for  all  our  art-doings — and  especially 
for  that  music,  for  which  in  truth  a  musical  paper  is 
solely  intended — by  such  hard-dealt  right-  and  left- 
handed  blows,  as  to  bring  Brendel  into  fresh  trouble  ;  for 
I  should  not  only — as  was  actually  the  case  injudentlnun 
— attack  the  abstract  species,  but  give  a  good  sound 
hiding  to  individuals  themselves.  Now  that  my  books 
are  out,  however,  I  can  no  longer  possibly  feel  any 
inclination  for  general  reflections.  If  X.  wants  some- 
thing mild  of  mine,  let  him  print  my  letter  to  Liszt  on 
the  Goethe  foundation.  You  could  at  once  ask  Liszt  for 
this  letter,  stating  your  purpose,  and  that  I  am  agree- 
able. If  Liszt  wishes  to  strike  out  anything  relating  to 
himself,  he  may  act  according  to  his  judgment.  Only 
/  do  not  care  to  have  the  letter  put  before  me  again,  so 
I  place  the  matter  in  your  hands.  (One  name  must  be 
altered:  "  Scholl  "  not  "  Scholcher.") 

My  dear  friend,  you  will  shortly  hear  of  things  which 
will  enable  you  to  understand  why  I  have  now  completely 
given  up  every  attempt  to  fight  against  the  reigning 
stupidity,  dulness,  and  wretchedness :  I  shall  let  that 
which  is  rotten  rot,  and  shall  use  my  remaining  powers 
in  production  and  enjoyment,  and  not  in  distressful, 
and  quite  hopeless  attempts  to  galvanize  the  corpse  of 
European  civilization.  I  have  only  a  mind  to  live,  to 
enjoy — i.e.,  to  work  as  an  artist,  and  produce  my  works  : 
but  not  for  the  mud  brains  of  the  common  herd. —As  I 
cannot  here  develop  my  ideas  at  proper  length,  I  must  still 

1 1 


1 62  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

keep  secret  the  watch-word  of  my  purpose — and,  it  is 
to  be  hoped,  of  the  purpose  common  to  many — in  order 
not  to  be  misunderstood.  So  farewell  for  to-day  ! 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  December  l8//»,  '51. 

50. 

Yes,  best  of  friends  !  You  ought  to  have  let  me 
known  sooner  that  you  had  to  return  the  Wolsungasaga 
by  the  25th  of  December.  If  now  a  little  delay  occurs, 
"  I  really  can't  help  it."  I  thought  there  was  no  hurry. 
Besides,  I  have  kept  far  from  me  everything  which 
would  prompt  me  to  work  at  my  great  poem,  so  as  to 
leave  the  matter  to  take  its  time — especially  amid  these 
winter  frosts.  Now  I  have  looked  quickly  through  the 
Saga,  and  found  out  that  it  will  no  longer  be  of  any 
use  to  me.  So  I  send  you  back  to-day — with  best 
thanks  for  your  kindness — the  little  book,  and  only 
with  a  few  lines,  as  it  is  already  late. 

Briefly,  therefore  :— 

Your  letter  of  yesterday  informed  me  of  your 
appointment,  and  conducting  adventure  ;  news  which 
gave  me  great  pleasure.  For  the  rest,  make  no  mistake 
about  X. ;  if  he  once  intends  to  serve  you  out,  his 
liberal  opinion  of  your  criticisms  will  suddenly  vanish. 
People  of  this  sort  take  everything  according  as  they 
find  it  useful. 

But — you  must  get  leave  of  absence  (certainly  for 
1852) — do  think  "  of  your  health  "  ! 

Could  you  not  haul  X.  once  more  over  the  coals?  The 
man  really  is  a  bungler  at  his  business !  Baumgartner, 


TO    UHLIG.  163 

wanting  it  for  his  choral  society,  has  repeatedly  asked 
through  the  music-seller  Hug,  for  the  Sailors'  Chorus 
from  the  Flying  Dutchman  (as  I  expressly  arranged  it 
for  men's  voices  only).  X.  doesn't  stir  (and  that  has 
always  been  his  way). 

Would  it  not  be  possible,  just  at  this  moment,  when 
the  pianoforte  edition  of  Tannhduser  is  about  to  appear, 
to  publish  on  a  whole  page  of  the  Augsburg  Allgemeine, 
and  perhaps,'  also,  of  two  of  the  most  important 
political  papers,  a  general  advertisement  of  all  those  of 
my  works  which  have  appeared  at  Meser's  (including 
the  Tannhauser  score)  ?  Only  so  can  the  business  get 
a  fresh  start !  Of  course  at  the  same  time  a  fresh  supply 
of  music  would  have  to  be  sent  to  the  music-sellers. 
All  this  is  really  under  the  jurisdiction  of  my  creditors  ; 
and  I  have  already  written  to  you  on  the  matter. — 
So — enough  for  to-day  ! — 

I  certainly  should  not  have  written  my  letter  to  X. 
if  I  had  first  read  his  article  on  my  writings.  Good 
God,  what  a  weak-minded  fool !  The  man  thinks  to 
bring  about  a  better  understanding  for  me  by  repre- 
senting everything  I  say,  and  on  which  I  lay  most 
stress,  as  really  not  a  matter  for  annoyance.  That's 
just  what  he  did  in  the  matter  of  the  Judenthum,  when 
he  showed  that  after  all  I  really  did  not  mean  the  Jews  ! 
Splendid !  Now  I  can't  in  the  name  of  fortune  see  of 
what  use  he  could  be  to  me.  But  enough  of  this ! — 

The  pianoforte  score  has  arrived ;  I  am  chiefly 
pleased  at  its  great  correctness — especially  with  regard 
to  everything  concerning  the  stage  performance.  But 
the  very  idea  of  a  pianoforte  score  was  altogether  so 
painful  to  me,  that  when  it  arrived,  I  felt  scarcely 


164  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

anything  except  distress  and  discontent  ;  and  it  needed 
all  the  assurances  of  Baumgartner  and  M  tiller,  that  the 
arrangement  was  an  excellent  one,  to  make  me  fair  in 
this  matter  towards  you  and  your  careful  work.  You 
will  excuse  formal  thanks,  if  I  only  simply  assure  you, 
that  I  am  highly  pleased  that  this  disagreeable  work  of 
arranging  should  happily  have  fallen  into  your  hands, 
and  that  you  should  have  attended  to  it  with  such 
great  affection  !  Excellent  homo,  now  how  about  the 
correcting  of  the  full  score  ?  I  feel  —  Heaven  knows  — 
quite  incapable  of  undertaking  this,  and  for  a  hundred 
thousand  reasons  which  I  cannot  and,  besides,  need 
not,  set  forth.  May  I  put  this  burden  on  you  ?  Is 
it  really  not  too  bad?  Answer  frankly  ! 

The  next  time  I  will  write  more.  I  am  well. 
Certainly,  I  was  much  excited,  and  then  again  un- 
nerved, by  the  immediate  result  of  the  severe  regime. 
Anyhow,  I  am  only  half  through  the  cure,  and  must 
complete  it  when  spring  comes.  But  I  knew  it  would 
be  so,  and  regret  nothing. 

Farewell  !     Greetings  at  home. 

Your 
R.  W. 

I  have  now  become  a  subscriber  through  the  post- 
office  to  the  Neue  Zeitschrift  fur  Musik. 


DEAR  UHLIG, 

Yesterday  I  received  the  book  :  "  Three  opera 
poems."  The  preface  had  to  some  extent  slipped 
from  my  memory,  and  1  formally  devoured  it  in  the 


TO    UHLIG.  165 

very  neat,  noble  (and  marvellously  correct!}  edition. 
Heaven  knows  how  it  is  with  others,  but  this  preface 
has  deeply  interested  me;  I  say  this  fearlessly.  This 
was  really  the  most  important  message  which  I  had  to 
deliver,  for  it  was  absolutely  necessary  to  complete 
Oper  imd  Drama.  Surely  I  now  have  the  right  to  think 
I  have  done  enough  with  my  pen  !  What  can  I  still  say 
if  now  my  friends  do  not  clearly  understand,  and  why 
should  I  now  still  worry  myself  if  my  friends  still  keep 
dust  in  their  eyes  !  I  am  now — with  regard  to  what  is 
done — perfectly  satisfied  with  myself,  for  certainly  I 
have  left  nothing  undone  in  order  to  make  myself 
intelligible.  Anything  further  is  simply  the  business 
of  those  who  take  an  interest  in  me ! — 

Unfortunately,  I  have  forgotten  to  order  a  copy  of 
this  book  for  our  good  R.  in  W.  Could  not  K.  remedy 
my  fault,  and  get  a  copy,  which  you  in  your  turn  might 
send  off  to  W.  ? 

Well,  1  have  now  read  through  the  letter  to  Liszt 
on  the  Goethe  foundation.  I  look  upon  the  publication 
of  this  letter  as  by  no  means  unimportant,  only  I 
cannot  for  the  life  of  me  see  why  it  should  be  in  the 
Neue  Zeitschrift  fiir  Musik  !  I  feel  fresh  sympathy  for 
Brendel  since  he  defended  me  against  the  Grensbofen,  and 
if  I  am  doing  him  service,  and  obliging  him  by  giving 
this  letter  for  his  paper,  he  might  show  his  gratitude  by 
having  it  also  printed  separately,  as  a  small  pamphlet 
(and  not  a  shabby-looking  one)  ;  he  might  send  this 
out  from  the  publishing-house  of  his  paper  and  advertise 
it,  so  that  it  might  come  before  those  for  whom  the  letter 
is  specially  intended,  and  these  are  certainly  not  the 
musicians,  at  any  rate  not  exclusively. 


1 66  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

On  the  occasion  of  the  pianoforte  score,  I  have  again 
looked  a  little  at  the  music  of  Lohengrin.  Would  it  not 
interest  you,  since  you  always  write  things  of  the  kind, 
to  discuss  the  thematic  web,  and  show  how  the  path  I 
have  struck  out  must  lead  to  ever-fresh  developments 
of  form  ?  Amongst  other  things,  this  came  into  my 
mind  in  the  first  scene  of  the  second  act.  Just  at  the 
beginning  of  the  second  scene  of  this  act — when  Elsa 
steps  on  to  the  balcony — it  struck  me  how  in  the 
prelude  for  wind  instruments,  in  the  /th,  8th,  and 
9th  bars,  where  Elsa  appears  by  night,  a  theme  is 
heard  for  the  first  time  which,  later  on,  when  Elsa 
advances  towards  the  church,  in  bright  daylight  and 
full  splendour,  is  presented  in  complete  development, 
broad  and  bright.  Thereupon  it  became  evident  to  me 
that  my  themes  always  originate  coherently,  and  with 
the  character  of  plastic  phenomena.  Perhaps  you  can 
express  this  better  than  I. — 

—Have  you  heard  nothing  of  late  about  E.  D. — 
whether  he  reads  my  writings,  and  what  impression 
they  make  on  him  ?  I  confess  that  I  often  think  of  him 
quite  unawares,  and  I  would  much  like  to  know  how 
far  a  man  of  this  sort  remains  behind  through  lack 
of  inward  energy  and  genuine  courage,  and  how  far 
on  the  other  side,  he  is  to  be  brought  forward  through 
his  good  intelligence  and  honourable  will.  Can  I 
not  write  to  him  ?  I  should  be  exceedingly  glad — at 
least  it  would  interest  me — were  he  to  write  to  me 
(besides,  he  really  owes  me  a  letter).  How  could  you 
get  at  him  ?  In  any  case,  I  should  like  him  to  have  read 
the  "  Preface  to  three  opera  poems,"  before  he  wrote. 
January  1st.  I  kept  back  this  letter  until  I  got  news. 


TO    UHLIG.  167 

from  you  again  :  this  has  happened  to-day. — I  first 
answer  some  of  your  questions. — 

Send  me  at  once  the  pianoforte  scores  of  Rienzi  and 
Tannhduser  (at  my  expense,  of  course),  and  do  the 
same  with  the  full  scores.  So  far  as  the  Lohengrin 
score  is  concerned,  I  feel  almost  inclined  to  stop  the 
copying  altogether — especially  as  Wolfel  is  so  much 
behind.  Of  what  good  is  this  copy,  as  it  will  never  be 
wanted  ?  And  by  the  time  it  is  wanted,  the  engraved 
copies  will  be  also  ready.  However  one  may  regret 
what  has  already  been  written,  a  part  of  this  useless 
labour  will  cost  less  than  the  whole.  I  shall  take  out 
of  it  only  what  is  necessary  for  my  concert ;  the  rest 
may  be  destroyed.  I  am  ever  annoyed  that  I  gave  the 
order  for  the  sake  of  the  Brussels  windbags,  and  caused 
unnecessary  expense.  Wolfel  might,  therefore,  still 
copy  me  quickly  the  first  scene  of  the  third  act  with 
the  orchestral  introduction ;  then  send  me  this,  the  great 
Prelude,  and  the  great  scene  for  male  chorus  from  the 
second  act,  so  that  I  may  arrange  all  for  the  concert. 
He  can  at  the  same  time  prepare  the  Tannhauser  score 
for  me.  Be  good  enough  to  give  me  a  detailed  account 
of  the  expenses. — 

You  are  always  writing  to  me  about  "  the  "  critic  of 
the  Gegenwart;  but  I  do  not  know  what  you  mean.  I 
have  read  nothing  of  his  ;  where  shall  I  find  anything  ? 

Brendel  has  written  to  me ;  his  letter  and  his  latest 
explanations  in  specimen-sheet  have  somewhat  disposed 
me  in  his  favour.  His  recent  fervour,  nay,  enthusiasm, 
rejoices  me.  Now  I  will  again  write  a  letter  for  his 
paper ;  perhaps  I  may  still  be  of  use  to  it,  and  contribute 
in  a  decisive  manner  towards  making  it  more  useful  than 


1 68  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

it  can  possibly  be  under  present  circumstances. — The 
letter  concerning  the  Goethe  foundation  can  appear 
later  on,  because  I  wish  first  to  widen  the  tendency  of 
the  paper,  so  that  this  very  letter  will  then  appear  in  it 
as  something  intelligible  and  suitable.  But  after  that, 
no  one  will  catch  me  at  such  a  thing  again. 

Let  me  soon  know  what  effect  my  "  Preface "  is 
making ;  and  try  and  get  it  well  known ! — 

Yesterday,  we  had  St.  Sylvester  with  present- 
making  ;  with  that  our  Christmas  festival  has  come  to 
an  end.  I  was  able,  in  fairly  good  humour,  to  see 
the  new  year  in.  How  are  you  at  home  ?  All  the 
youngsters  well  ?  You  write  nothing  to  me  about 
your  leave  of  absence ! 

/ — shall  not  get  any  real  rest  until  I  commence  my 
great  work ;  I  don't  care  for  anything  else.  I  must 
positively  prey  once  more  upon  myself.  Only  I  shall 
take  care  that  this  does  not  interfere  with  my  spring 
cure. — 

What  do  the  R.'s  think  of  me  ?  Have  they  not  had 
enough  of  me  ? — 

Farewell,  good,  dear  friend  !  Remain  true  to  me, 
and  let  me  even  to-day  assure  you  that  you  are  a 
great,  great  blessing  to  me !  Minna  sends  heartiest 
greetings  ! 

Your 
R.  W. 

The  silver  plate  has  delighted  my  wife  in  a  fabulous 
manner ;  she  sends  no  end  of  thanks  to  the  R.'s. 

I  think  I  shall  have  the  parts  for  my  concert  copied 
in  Dresden  ;  in  this  place  there  is  not  one  trustworthy 
copyist,  and  besides,  they  are  much  dearer  than  at 


TO    UHLIG.  169 

Dresden.     But  do  send   the    Lohengrin    things,   for   I 
must  first  arrange  them. 

52. 

DEAR  FRIEND, 

I  have  gone  back  to  my  old  mood,  and  the  devil 
has  hold  of  me  again.  No  cure  in  the  world  can  keep 
me  from  disagreeable  outward  impressions :  their  evil 
influence  must  ever  trouble  the  inward  spring,  and  bring 
it  to  a  painful  stand-still.  Again  am  I  stranded,  with 
all  my  wishes  and  aspirations.  Beyond  endurance  I 
clearly  see — I  feel — that  all  my  undertakings  must 
remain  unsatisfied  and  without  aim !  Alas !  alas ! 
wherever  I  knock,  each  of  my  plans  becomes  a  barren 
grey  impossibility  !  I  can  no  longer  in  any  way  deceive 
myself.  I  lack  the  only  thing  which  could  keep  me  in  a 
happy  state  of  illusion — sympathy,  true,  responsive  sym- 
pathy. All  with  whom  I  come  into  contact  hang  down 
the  head,  sigh,  are  silent,  and  relapse  after  this  effort 
into  their  old  callous  state.  You  are  really  the  only 
one  to  whom  I  can  still  turn  for  sympathy,  for  you  alone 
possess  the  energy  at  least  to  answer — although,  I 
cannot  help  noticing  that  your  letters  are  written  on  as 
small  a  sheet  as  possible,  with  the  lines  as  wide  apart 
as  possible.  Often,  as  was  the  case  with  your  two  last 
letters,  I  ask  myself,  "  Does  he  find  it  so  difficult  to 
fill  the  sheet  with  strokes  of  the  pen  ? "  Others  do 
not  even  answer  me.  I  asked  Liszt  for  his  medallion 
for  Christmas  ^  no  answer. 

Under  circumstances  which  I  will  not  enumerate,  but 
which  from  my  mood  you  will  recognize,  I  cannot  exactly 
make  out  whether  this  stop  to  my  well-being  really  comes 


170  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

from  within  or  merely  from  without.  I  have  nothing 
to  complain  of  with  regard  to  my  bodily  functions  :  but — 
my  nerves !  I  grant  that,  of  late,  I  have  over-exerted 
myself  with  the  cure.  The  misfortune  was  that  I  had 
no  doctor  in  whom  I  placed  confidence :  my  lively 
mood  was  principally  the  result  of  the  over-excitement ' 
of  my  vital  powers,  for  in  spite  of  the  liveliness,  my 
agitation  was  intense.  Still  it  was  a  lively  agitation. 
Reaction  naturally  set  in  ;  but,  if  only  some  joy,  some 
outward  influence  resulting  in  comfort  could  happen, 
it  would  assume  another  character,  one  of  pleasant 
repose.  But — great  Heaven  !  how  dull,  how  tedious, 
and  how  flat,  does  everything  in  this  outer  world  drop 
loose  from  me, — so  that  only  the  regret  remains  that  I 
should  ever  have  counted  on  what  comes  from  without ! 
and  this  repentance  is  of  a  terribly  painful  kind.  Now 
I  prey  again  on  my  vitals,  and  prey  and  prey,  until  to 
satisfy  my  hunger  I  am  utterly  consumed ! 

Really,  I  have  been  thus  for  a  long  time !  If  I  look 
back  on  my  life  I  must  say  to  myself  that  little  nourish- 
ment came  from  without  to  satisfy  so  needy  a  soul. 
Never,  not  even  for  a  moment,  have  I  felt  tender  com- 
fort :  only  angles  to  stumble  against,  only  sharp  points 
to  tread  on  !  And  now  by  way  of  diversion — I  do  not 
say  reward  (for  here  there  is  nothing  to  reward) — no ! 
in  order  to  be  giving  myself  once  more  the  chance  of 
others  preying  on  me — which  for  the  future  can  be  my 
only  consolation  ! — by  way  of  diversion,  I  only  desired 
— ah !  why  should  I  repeat  it  ? — Go  to  concerts  and 
to  the  theatre,  and  amuse  yourself ! ! — 


Nothing  will  come  of  my  concert :    I  have  given  it 


TO    UHLIG.  I/I 

up.  I  can  no  longer  bring  myself  to  undertake  any- 
thing by  halves,  a  patch-work.  Its  aimlessness  and  the 
impossibility  of  satisfying  myself,  presented  themselves 
once  more  before  me  in  all  their  nakedness.  Through 
the  obduracy  of  my  friends  all  farther  plans  connected 
with  it  were  frustrated  in  advance.  If,  in  the  first 
thought  of  this  concert,  I  only  wished  for  once  to  hear 
the  Prelude  to  Lohengrin,  I  now  renounce  the  luxurious 
apparatus  necessary  for  the  attainment  of  this  wish. 
Strange  that  it  should  be  with  me  as  with  Beethoven ; 
he  could  not  hear  his  music  because  he  was  deaf 
(nothing  else  could  have  prevented  him).  I  cannot 
hear  mine,  because  I  am  more  than  deaf,  because  I  do 
not  live  in  the  world,  because  I  wander  about  among 
you  like  a  ghost,  because  the  whole  wide  world  is  full 
of ...  fools  !  Ah,  dear  friend,  at  least  write  a  lot  about 
me,  fill  the  newspapers,  and  at  least  I  shall  become  right 
famous;  then  I  shall  have  something  for  my  pains ! 

Ah  !  if  I  were  not  to  rise  from  my  bed  to-morrow,  if 
I  were  never  more  to  wake  to  this  loathsome  life,  yes 
— then  I  should  be  even  happier  than  the  R.'s,  when 
listening  to  Tannhauser  !  !  !  Good-bye  for  to-day  ! — 


Eleven  o'clock  past  !  again  nothing !  Good  !  This 
letter  must  be  sent  off  to-day ;  I  cannot  allow  such 
unburdening  of  my  mind  to  lie  in  the  drawer. — 

Say,  is  it  not  unmanly  of  me  to  pour  out  my 
complaints  thus  ?  Why,  do  I  not  rather  imitate  my 
lady  S.,  show  a  smiling  face  although  I  suffer,  pretend 
to  have  no  feeling,  i.e.,  lie  and  dissimulate,  so  as  to 
become,  if  no  true  human  being — yet  as  great  a  man  as 
possible,  one  who  is  "  superior  "  to  his  fate,  i.e.,  plays  a 


172  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

part,  and  would  fain  be  otherwise  than  as  he  is  ; 
"represent"  something — any  visionary  idea,  as,  for 
example,  L.  Bonaparte  represented  "  society  "  ? — and 
all  that  to  please  the  dear  sweet  Philistines,  so  that 
they  may  say,  "  Ah,  by  Jove  !  there's  a  man  for  you  ! " 
No ;  all  who  can  take  pleasure  in  my  labours,  i.e.,  in 
my  life  and  works,  shall  know,  that  their  joy  comes 
of  my  griefs,  of  my  greatest  misery! — 

Dear  friend  !  I  often  have  my  own  ideas  about  "  art," 
and,  for  the  most  part,  I  cannot  help  thinking  that  if  we 
had  real  life,  we  should  need  no  art.  Art  begins  just 
there,  where  real  life  ends,  where  there  is  nothing 
more  before  us ;  then  we  cry  out  to  art :  "I  wish  !  " — I 
cannot  conceive  how  a  truly  happy  man  can  ever  think 
of  "art."  Only  in  life  is  power  to  do.  Is  our  "art"  any- 
thing more  than  a  confession  of  our  impotence  ?  For 
sure ;  at  least  our  art  is  of  this  kind,  and  so  is  all  the  art 
which,  in  our  present  dissatisfaction  with  life,  we  can 
imagine.  It  is  nothing  more  than  "  desire  expressed  as 
clearly  as  is  possible  to  us."  To  win  back  my  youth, 
to  possess  health,  nature,  a  devoted  wife,  healthy 
children — yes  !  I  would  sacrifice  all  my  art  !  Take  it ! 
Give  me  the  other  ! — Ah !  it  would  indeed  be  droll,  if 
all  our  zest  for  art  were  but  an  empty  dream !  Well, 
farewell  for  to-day !  You  have  probably  had  enough. 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  January  \2tht  '$2. 

'53- 

DEAR  FRIEND, 

I  answer  at  once  your  questions  : — 


TO    UHLIG.  173 

(1)  How  shall  the  new  pianoforte  score  of  Tannhauser 
be    announced  ?       "  Second  edition    with   the   third  act 
revised" 

With  regard  to  sending  me  the  pianoforte  scores, 
I  beg  X.  to  let  me  have  also  the  Flying  Dutchman. 
In  return  I  would  make  the  opera  known  as  much  as 
possible.  Liszt,  too,  will  give  it  this  year  at  Weimar  ; 
perhaps  I  shall  have  it  performed  even  here  in  Zurich. 
The  publisher  can  derive  nothing  but  benefit  from  this. 
If  he  does  not  see  his  way  to  that,  he  may  charge  me 
at  bookseller's  price — fifty  per  cent,  discount.  So  I 
expect  Rienzi,  Flying  Dutchman,  and  Tannhauser. 

(2)  The  "three  grand-opera  poems"  must  surely  be 
out  in  Germany,  as  they  are  already  to  be  had  here. 
No  doubt  you  will  already  have  been  able  to  see  to 
Devrient,  also  to  R.  ? 

(3)  I  have  sent  exact  instructions  to  Brendel  con- 
cerning the  two  letters   (to  him  and  to  Liszt).     Both 
must  be  published  together,  as  a  detached  pamphlet. 
But  I  really  do  not  know  if  you  have  yet  received  the 
letter  from  Liszt.     You  tell  me  nothing  about  it.     If 
Liszt  is  dilatory,  I'll  look  after  it  myself. 

(I  have  given  Brendel  a  good  blowing  up  on  account 
of  the  fresh  notice  from  "  A.  H.  aus  Zurich"  How- 
ever, in  defence,  he  pleads  your  recommendation  of  such 
trivialities.  I  have  explained  to  Brendel  that  nothing — 
no,  nothing  of  this  kind  must  ever  appear  again  in 
his  paper.  B.  has  given  his  promise  to  that  effect.) 

(4)  I  shall    certainly    not  give    the    concert.     It  is 
therefore    unnecessary    to    see    about    the    Lohengrin 
scenes.    I  therefore  repeat :  is  it  not  better  now  to  stop 
the    whole    score-scribbling  ?      Why    increase    useless 


174  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

expenses  ?  Whoever  cares  to  have  the  score  completed 
for  his  pleasure,  let  him  do  so.  I  can  no  longer  make 
any  use  of  it;  I  heartily  regret  the  money  already 
thrown  away  on  it.  After  the  long  delay  of  this 
copying,  I  know  of  nothing  better  than  to  make  the 
useless  expenses  less.  But  will  you  not  soon  let  me 
know  what  the  whole  damage  is  ?  On  the  other  hand, 
I  insist  on  the  Tannhduser  for  myself. 

(5)  My  admiration  for  Hartel's  courageous  devotion 
has  somewhat  diminished  since  I  learnt  that  they  do 
not  intend,  as  stated  at  first,  to  engrave  the  score, 
but  merely  to  print  it.  It  is,  however,  a  matter  of 
indifference  to  me  in  what  way  my  Lohengrin  attains 
to  its  paper  monumentality.  If  they  have  such  good 
readers  at  Leipzig,  we  might  leave  it  to  be  corrected 
there.  I  can  reserve  to  myself  the  right  of  adding, 
when  the  printing  is  completed,  an  errata  list,  should 
such  be  necessary. 

Now  about  your  godfather  affair.  If  you  think  me 
good  for  that  purpose — well,  take  me.  I  will  willingly 
assist,  and  K.  is  really  the  right  person  to  represent 
me.  I  should  like  to  hear  your  programme  respecting 
this  boy's  education.  Will  you  inoculate  him  with  the 
poison  of  our  bringing  up,  and  so  leave  it  to  chance 
whether  he  shall  spit  out  the  poison,  or  whether  it  shall 
bring  him  to  ruin  ?  I  do  not  ask  this  jokingly.  We 
have  the  future  in  our  hands.  Shall  we  be  such  abject 
cowards  as  to  expose  our  children  to  the  same  fatal 
course  which  (let  us  be  frank)  has  made  MS  incapable, 
half-and-half,  and  bad  ?  We  have  only  arrived  at 
truth  at  a  period  of  our  lives,  when  we  have  already 
become  incapable  of  deriving  any  profit  from  it. 


TO    UHLIG.  175 

Shall  this — even  supposing  the  most  fortunate  case — 
also  be  the  lot  of  our  children  ?  I  will  discuss  the 
matter  more  thoroughly  another  time.  I  first  await — 
as  I  said  above — your  programme. 

That  you  allow  yourself  (or  rather  are  driven)  not  to 
give  offence  to  R.  in  this  matter,  does  not  please  me.  I 
should  have  thought  that  with  K.  (in  my  place),  Emilie, 
Riihlemann,  and  a  fine  lady,  the  ambition  of  your  wife 
would  have  been  satisfied.  Here,  here,  dear  friend, 
must  be  shown  whether  we  really  wish  to  be  free  in 
our  house  and  in  our  family  ! 

The  day  before  yesterday  I  conducted  the  Egmont- 
music  and  the  8th  Symphony.  The  performance  was 
— do  not  lr-1gh,  for  I  know  what  I  am  talking  about — 
excellent.  I  suffered,  however,  from  great  relaxation 
of  the  nerves.  Schoneck,  the  director  of  the  theatre 
here,  young,  very  talented,  extremely  gifted  as  a  con- 
ductor, and  an  uncommonly  lively  and  fiery  fellow,  is 
worrying  me  to  have  the  Flying  Dutchman  for  his 
benefit  (in  March).  I  am  already  almost  giving  way, 
as  yesterday  I  had  to  confess  that  the  actors  were 
really  good,  and  that  the  Dutchman  himself  would 
have  a  really  good  interpreter.  The  director  promises 
to  accomplish  the  most  inconceivable  things  in  the 
matter  of  decorations.  The  orchestra  would  recruit 
itself  to  a  decent  size  by  volunteers.  The  only  thing 
in  the  way  is  my  longing  after  rest,  and  my  general 
aversion  to  everything  connected  with  our  theatre  and 
public.  But  I  am  pressed  on  all  sides,  so  shall  leave 
the  decision  to  Heaven. 

Hark  !  See  friend  Fischer  at  once ;  give  him  best 
greetings  from  me,  and  ask  him  if  he  will  venture  to 


176  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

get  for  himself  the  loan  of  the  complete  parts,  etc.,  of 
the  Flying  Dutchman  for  three  months  from  L.  I  will 
be  responsible  for  the  punctual  return  of  the  same,  and 
so  on.  If  Fischer  can  get  the  things,  and  without  com- 
promising me  as  seeking  a  favour  from  L.,  this  shall 
decide  the  matter.  I  will  not  put  the  people  here  to 
expense  in  having  the  parts  copied  ;  besides,  I  shall 
thus  hold  in  my  hands  the  power  of  withdrawing  the 
opera  if  I  see  that  it  is  not  going  well.  This  I  cannot 
do  if  the  parts  are  copied  here  by  order  of  the 
management.  So  let  Fischer  answer  quickly.  If  he 
consents,  and  thus  compels  me,  everything  will  come 
in  time  if  sent  by  express-mail. 

But  send  me  quickly  through  the  post  the  pianoforte 
scores,  etc.  I  am  now  so  nervously  impatient  in 
everything,  even  in  trifling  matters,  that  it  is  not  with- 
out intention  I  make  this  request. 

Herwegh  was  mad  about  the  last  Beethoven  per- 
formance, and  straightway  declared  that  it  was  divine. 
I  recommend  to  you  and  to  K.  my  new  friend,  the 
English  poet  Shelley.  There  exists  only  one  German 
translation  of  his  works,  by  Seybt,  which  you  must 
get.  He  and  his  friend  Byron  together  make  up 
one  complete  and  noble  man. 

You  will  soon  hear  that  I  am  hard  at  work  on  the 
Nibelungen  poem  ;  it  is  my  only  salvation.  Farewell ; 
greetings  at  home,  and  to  the  R.'s. 

Your 
R.  W. 

53  (!)  December,  '51. 

(I  shall  continue  in  the  coup-d'c'tat  month  until  the 
desired  1852  really  comes.) 


TO    UHLIG.  177 

54- 
DEAR  FRIEND, 

I  hope  that  in  answering  your  two  last  letters 
I  shall  not  overlook  any  point  in  them.  Let  us  see 
if  I  succeed. 

First  of  all,  I  beg  your  friendly  forgiveness  for  the 
many  commissions  with  which  I  coolly  load  you ;  I  fear 
I  am  becoming  quite  shameless.  But  I  hope  there  will 
soon  be  an  end  of  this.  And  will  your  wife  please  not 
be  angry  with  me  on  account  of  this  constant  packing? 

Once  again  you  have  taken  too  seriously  my  remarks 
on  the  christening  ceremony  of  your  youngest  son.  I 
beg  you,  for  Heaven's  sake,  to  change  nothing  in  your 
arrangements,  even  supposing  there  were  still  time.  I 
should  really  consider  myself  highly  ridiculous  and  im- 
pertinent, if  you  were  to  look  on  me  as  chief  busybody 
in  your  family  affairs  !  Pray  be  assured  that  you  can 
do  or  leave  undone  what  you  please,  without  my  bearing 
you  a  grudge  for  any  one  of  your  actions.  Credit  me 
with  that  much  common  sense.  If  I  am  peevish  and 
fanciful,  others  should  not  be  so  too  ;  of  late  I  have 
indeed  been  peevish  ! — 

Also,  I  look  upon  your  present  position  in  the 
band  as  a  change  for  the  better.  I  perfectly  under- 
stand that  you  must  feel  more  comfortable  than  you 
did  under  the  former  opera  regime.  It  is  all  right 
about  the  scores  sent  back  from  Brockhaus.  How 
fortunate  that  in  this  case  I  was  so  obstinate !  I  am 
writing  to  Fischer  about  the  rest  of  the  music  I  left 
behind,  and  I  thank  you  beforehand  if  you  will  see  to 
the  whole  thing. 

I  have  at  last  written  to  Weimar  about  the  Goethe- 

12 


178  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

foundation  letter,  and  hope  to  receive  it  shortly.  Matters 
proceed  in  a  nice  slow  tedious  way  in  your  corner  of 
Germany;  I  can't  help  saying  that.  Even  the  resolute  X. 
gives  another  proof  of  it.  How  everything  connected 
with  this  man  sticks  and  sticks  !  Well,  out  of  all  this  I 
clearly  see  that  people  have  something  else  to  do  than 
to  busy  themselves  about  me.  I  really  ought  not  to  be 
unjust — a  resolution  which  every  day  I  form  anew. 

I  am  also  expecting  an  account  of  moneys  paid  by 
you  for  me.  A  small  arrangement  will  have  to  be  made 
about  the  (unfortunate  ! !)  copy  of  the  Lohengrin  score. 
When  I — in  the  summer  of  last  year  !  ! ! — ordered  the 
copy  through  Fischer,  I  referred  him  for  payment  to 
Frau  R.,  whom  I  also  requested,  by  letter,  to  advance 
the  money  and  deduct  it  from  my  next  subsidy.  But 
as  in  the  November  of  that  year  the  score  was  by  no 
means  ready,  and  therefore  no  request  for  payment  was 
made,  Frau  R.  sent  me  the  full  sum.  Now  I  must  pay  the 
costs  of  this  copy  out  of  my  ready  money ;  but  as  things 
go,  I  must  consider  whether  I  shall  not  leave  myself 
very  short  if  I  now  send  those  costs  from  here.  I  shall 
receive  more  money  at  the  beginning  of  May ;  so  please 
ask  Wolfel  if  he  could  not  wait  until  the  end  of  April 
for  the  payment  of  his  miserably  delayed  score,  which 
in  consequence  has  become  quite  useless.  As  a  return, 
he  might  keep  the  copy  for  himself  in  remembrance  of 
me.  (No  one  wants  the  beggarly  thing  now  !)  If  he  will 
wait  till  then,  shortly  before  the  R.'s  send  money  to  me 
I  will  ask  K.  or  one  of  them  to  keep  back  as  much  as 
is  due  to  Wolfel,  and  give  it  to  you  to  settle  the  debt. 
Well,  all  this  is  another  specimen  of  Dresden  humbug  ! 
Greet  the  ladies  to-day  in  your  heartiest  manner. 


TO    UHLIG.  179 

I  have  received  encouraging  news  from  Schwerin. 
Tannhauser  has  been  well  and  successfully  produced 
there.  The  accounts  of  those  concerned  are  over- 
flowing with  joy  at  the  success  of  their  undertaking. 
—What  has  come  of  the  proposed  performance  of 
Tannhauser  at  Dresden,  concerning  which,  it  was 
already  a  subject  of  reproach  to  me  that  I  could  take 
no  pleasure  in  it  ? 

From  time  to  time  you  shall  hear  about  my  small 
attempts  at  conducting  here.  I  may  possibly  write  and 
sign  a  notice  of  the  shortly  approaching  performance 
of  the  Coriolan  overture.  I  may  perhaps  add  to  it  the 
remark  that  I  consider  this  kind  of  personal  notice  the 
only  fitting  one  in  connection  with  renderings  which, 
passing  from  a  purely  musical  sphere,  touch  upon  a 
poetical  one,  instead  of  that  extravagant  praise  of 
performances  which  must  leave  those  who  were  not 
present  at  them  quite  indifferent.  Baumgartner's  songs 
have  long  been  ordered  for  you ;  a  fresh  reminder  is 
now  being  sent  to  the  publishers.  I  ought  myself  to 
write  something  about  them  for  the  confed.  newspaper. 
You  shall  have  it  as  soon  as  it  is  printed ;  perhaps 
you  may  be  able  to  make  use  of  it.  Can  you  get 
my  article  concerning  the  poetical  contents  of  the 
Eroica  from  the  R.'s  ?  If  you  can,  let  me  know 
next  time. — 

Herwegh  is  worrying  me  about  the  performance  of 
the  Tannhauser  overture  ;  I  will  see  if  it  is  possible, 
but  have  my  doubts.  The  Flying  Dutchman  is  being 
seriously  thought  of.  Already  a  scene-painter  from 
Munich  has  been  specially  engaged  here.  It  is  almost 
impossible  to  find  any  one  here  to  write  out  the  parts, 


180  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

but  only  an  ordinary  copyist ;  so  I  have  had  to  write 
to  Cassel  again  about  the  orchestral  parts.  Still  I 
always  hope  that  something  will  come  in  the  way,  so 
that  I  may  at  least  be  free  for  the  spring  and  summer, 
and,  undisturbed,  be  able  to  attend  to  my  cure. 
Herwegh  will  go  with  me  this  time  to  the  hydropathic 
establishment. 

Have  I  now  written  enough  ?  What  more  indeed 
can  I  tell  you  ?  It  could  be  nothing  refreshing.  Still, 
Weber  gives  me  hope  of  the  possibility,  in  the  future, 
of  a  second  edition  of  Oper  und  Drama,  the  sale  of 
which  is  highly  satisfactory.  Now  and  then  I  become 
conscious  that  honest  X.  is  egregiously  deceiving  me. 
I  read  the  Grenzboten  long  ago,  but  not  right  through, 
because  I  found  it  very  tedious.  Why  do  you  not 
send  me  at  once  Glasbrenner's  Lustige  ?  Ah,  I  am 
tired  !  Farewell. 

Your 
R.  W. 

(1)  I  have  still  kept  back  this  letter  on  account  of 
the  enclosure.     Yesterday  evening,  when  my  wife  had 
gone  off  to  the  ball,  I  read  among  other  things  your 
last  short  criticisms  in  the  paper  (No.  5) ;  they  amused 
me  very  much.     The  style  of  your  brief  notices  seems 
to  me  a  kind  of  genre  painting,  in  which  you  greatly 
excel.     I   honestly  compliment   you  on  it.     But  what 

does   our    venerable    Dotzauer   say  ? If  you    still 

have  my   Wiland  sketch,  please  send   it  shortly  with 
the  score.     I  am  beginning  to  make  my  will ! 

(2)  Do  you  often  think  of  your  Adam-like  state  at 
the  Surene  torrent  ?     The  next  time  you  are  peschkering, 
fancy   you  are  sitting  at  your  desk  in  that  primitive 


TO    UHLIG.  l8l 

garb,  and  wonder  at  the  respect  paid  to  you  by  the 
highly-cultured  fiddlers ! — By  the  way,  greetings  from 
the  Uri-Rothstock.  I  saw  it  yesterday.  What  shall  we 
plan  for  this  year? 

(3)  I  enclose  my  article  on  Baumgartner,  which  has 
just  come  from  the  printers.  See  what  use  you  can 
make  of  it !  I  do  not  think  I  have  been  prejudiced 
in  any  way  through  my  friendly  relation  to  B.  What 
I  have  said  refers,  in  any  case,  more  to  the  whole  class 
than  to  this  particular  species,  which  in  itself  is  tolerably 
innocent.  It  was  more  my  object  to  have  a  slap  at  the 
silly  young  folk  here,  X.  X.,  etc. 


W.  B.'s  Songs  (Wilhelm  Baumgartner's  Lieder). 

The  position  of  the  lyrics  of  the  day  towards  modern 
life  is  so  artificial  and  complex,  so  that  one  often  finds 
it  difficult  to  define  the  impression  they  make  upon  our 
feelings.  Most  difficult  of  all  is  this  with  the  poems  of 
our  lyric  literature,  when  translated  into  our  art-music. 
Poems,  scarcely  even  intended  for  recitation,  but  rather 
for  silent  reading,  are  set  to  music  in  such  a  fashion 
that,  when  sung,  they  must  necessarily  appear  to  the 
poet  who  wrote  them  as  something  wild  and  strange. 
With  a  poem,  which  as  a  literary  poem  perfectly  answered 
to  the  poet's  intention,  and  therefore  in  no  way  called 
for  musical  expression,  the  musical  composition  can 
naturally  only  be  a  special  tone-poem  of  the  musician's, 
having  often  quite  an  arbitrary,  and  in  the  best  case, 
only  a  general  bond  of  sympathy  with  the  word-poem. 
Thus,  in  the  case  of  musical  ballad-compositions  for 
our  song-playing  and  singing  public,  the  concern  is 


182  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

only  whether  the  music — i.e.,  the  melody — be  in  itself 
agreeable  and  entertaining ;  the  "  text "  is  then  only 
important  in  so  far  as  it  enables  the  same  melody  to 
be  sung  or  played  to  the  different  verses.  Fashion, 
together  with  the  ruling  fashion  of  singing,  is  the  only 
standard  whereby  the  agreeableness  of  these  melodies 
is  measured.  This  changes  for  itself  alone,  and  without 
any  relation  to  any  particular  poem,  just  as  fashion  in 
dress  changes  without  the  slightest  consideration  for  the 
human  figure ;  so,  for  instance,  the  Rossini  style  of  sing- 
ing ruled  at  the  same  time  as  baggy  ^^-sleeves,  and 
narrow  short  skirts,  just  as  to-day  the  Bellini-Donizetti 
style,  with  its  affected  feeling,  comes  in  with  narrow 
sleeves,  and  baggy,  stiffened,  long  skirts.  I  leave  to 
the  natural  philosopher — in  the  domain  of  our  civiliza- 
tion— to  point  out  the  necessity  of  these  fashions.  To 
become  a  favourite  and  fashionable  composer  of  this 
kind  is  just  as  easy  as  to  become  a  favourite  and 
fashionable  tailor.  The  capability  of  satisfying  the  needs 
of  fashion,  of  which  mention  has  been  made,  is  not  in 
the  least  connected  with  genius;  and  it  is  only  by 
chance  that  now  and  then  an  individual  of  this  class 
rises  above  the  mass. 

Whoever  does  not  aspire  to  be  a  modern  popular 
song-composer  in  the  sense  named,  but  who,  as  a 
musician,  seeks  to  express  by  means  of  his  art  the 
feeling  which  a  poem  has  called  forth  from  him,  so  as 
to  communicate  it  to  others,  will  be  compelled  to 
preserve  a  far  more  intimate  connection  with  the  poem 
than  this.  The  feeling  acquired  by  him  as  a  musician 
gives  him  first  of  all  the  tone-picture,  in  which  it 
expresses  itself  with  satisfying  clearness  ;  but  he  can 


TO    UHLIG.  183 

only  succeed  in  giving  the  necessary  individual  shape 
to  that  tone-picture  by  placing  its  outward  form  in 
closest  relationship  to  that  of  the  word-poem.  It  is  on 
this  path,  and  with  this  method,  that  we  meet  with. 
Wilhelm  Baumgartner;  this  is,  without  dispute,  the 
only  truly  artistic  direction  in  which  the  fashionable 
musician  can  move  when  face  to  face  with  the  modern 
poet.  Baumgartner's  tone-pictures,  as  they  appear  in 
the  vocal  melody,  and  in  an  accompaniment  which  sup- 
ports and  renders  clear  this  melody,  are,  in  the  first 
place,  products  of  purely  musical  invention  ;  but  it  is 
refreshing  also  to  perceive  how  these  pictures  become 
musical  exactly  in  the  degree  in  which  they  are  prompted 
by  the  significant  contents  of  the  poem ;  and  this  gives 
us  the  best  proof  that  the  musician's  attitude  with  re- 
gard to  the  poet  is  the  right  one.  These  tone-poems  are 
noble  throughout,  and  in  them  all  influence  of  modern 
mannerism  disappears  in  proportion  as  the  sensuous 
(siiinlicii)  form  coincides  with  that  of  the  poem ;  the  very 
need  of  which  is  felt  by  the  composer  whose  attitude 
towards  the  poet  is  a  natural  one.  Baumgartner,  if  he 
would  remain  faithful  to  his  sound  artistic  feeling  in  this 
direction,  must  end  by  seeking  for  the  poet  who  in  his 
poems  no  longer  leaves  anything  to  the  purely  musical 
initiative  of  the  composer,  but  brings  to  him  the  complete 
sensuous  and  sentient  germ  for  the  blossoming  of  the 
melody ;  in  other  words,  the  poet  who  not  only  stimulates 
his  feeling  to  musical  invention,  but  whose  verse  itself 
supplies  the  living  stuff  for  the  formation  of  the  melody. 
May  B.  find  this  poet  in  his  Swiss  countryman  and 
friend  Gottfr.  Keller,  and  from  the  united  creative  power 
of  both,  may  the  true  song,  inseparable  from  the  poem 


1 84  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

as  from  the  melody,  blossom  forth ;  a  song  which  is 
not  to  be  found  in  the  fashionable  productions  of  the 
day,  and  towards  which  B.,  in  the  ballads  before  us,  is 
aiming  with  praiseworthy  zeal.  To  enter  into  further 
detail  respecting  these  songs  would  be  beside  the  aim 
of  this  paper,  and  consequently  of  my  communication. 
On  the  other  hand,  my  purpose  has  been  merely  to  call 
attention  to  the  characteristic  difference  between  B.'s 
songs  and  the  fashionable  songs  of  the  day,  and  to  direct 
to  them  all  those  to  whom  so  distinct  a  phenomenon 
may  prove  welcome. 

55- 
DEAR  FRIEND, 

I  send  you  herewith  my  interpretation  of  the 
Coriolanus  overture.  I  have  given  up  the  idea  of 
noticing  the  performance  myself  in  the  Zeitungf.  Musik  : 
I  shall  do  well  to  hold  my  tongue  a  bit  there  now.  But 
I  will  tell  you  in  the  briefest  terms  what  I  would  have 
said,  so  as  to  induce  you  to  devote  a  proper  article  to 
the  matter  in  question. 

The  conductor  of  compositions  such  as  those  of 
Beethoven  has  seldom  hitherto  conceived  the  special 
nature  of  his  task.  He  should  clearly  be  the  channel 
for  their  understanding  by  the  laity ;  and  if,  at  bottom, 
this  can  only  be  achieved  by  a  completely  adequate 
performance,  the  question  must  next  be — how  is  such 
a  performance  to  be  brought  about  ?  The  characteristic 
of  the  great  compositions  of  Beethoven  is  that  they 
are  actual  poems :  that  in  them  it  is  sought  to  bring 
a  real  subject  to  representation.  The  stumbling- 
block  in  the  way  of  their  comprehension  lies  in  the 


TO    UHLIG.  185 

difficult  task  of  finding  with  certainty  the  subject  re- 
presented. Beethoven  was  completely  possessed  by  a 
subject :  his  most  pregnant  tone-pictures  are  indebted 
almost  solely  to  the  individuality  of  the  subject  with 
which  he  was  filled  ;  in  consciousness  of  this,  it  appeared 
to  him  superfluous  to  denote  his  subject  otherwise  than 
in  the  tone-picture  itself.  Just  as  our  word-poets  really 
address  themselves  only  to  other  word-poets,  so  did 
Beethoven  in  this  unconsciously  address  himself  only 
to  the  tone-poets.  Even  the  absolute  musician,  that  is 
to  say,  the  ringer  of  the  changes  of  absolute  music, 
could  not  understand  Beethoven,  because  this  absolute 
musician  looks  always  for  the  "  How "  and  not  the 
"  What."  The  laity,  on  the  other  hand,  could  but  be 
completely  confused  by  these  tone-pictures,  and  at 
best  be  only  led  to  pleasure  in  that  which  served 
the  tone-poet  merely  as  the  material  means  of  his 
expression. 

It  is  only  by  absolute  musicians  that  the  tone-poems 
of  Beethoven  have  hitherto  been  presented  to  the 
public ;  and  it  is  obvious  that  such  a  course  could 
only  result  in  misunderstanding.  The  only  province 
of  the  absolute  musician  was  the  "  How ; "  and  even 
this  he  could  not  see  aright  if  he  did  not  first  under- 
stand the  "What,"  for  which  the  "How"  was  only 
a  vehicle.  Thus  the  mutual  relationship  of  the  con- 
ductor and  the  orchestra  remained  one  of  complete 
misunderstanding ;  the  conductor  laboured  only  to  give 
voice  to  musical  phrases  which  he  himself  did  not 
understand,  and  had  only  appropriated  to  himself  as 
a  reciter  learns  by  heart  pleasant-sounding  verses 
according  to  their  sound  which  are  composed  in  a 


1 86  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

foreign  tongue,  and  one  unknown  to  him.  Naturally 
it  is  only  the  sheer  externals  that  can  here  be  seized ; 
the  speaker  can  never  deliver  and  intone  with  personal 
conviction — he  must  slavishly  hold  fast  to  the  merest 
outward  accident  of  sound,  in  the  manner  in  which 
he  has  been  taught  to  repeat  the  phrase  by  rote.  Let 
us  conceive  for  a  moment  what  measure  of  under- 
standing a  poet  would  meet  with  if,  by  the  reciter 
on  the  one  hand,  and  the  hearer  on  the  other,  the 
word-tones  only  were  reproduced  and  received ;  as 
must  be  the  case  were  the  poem  presented  in  a 
tongue  which  neither  the  declaimer  (who  had  only 
learnt  it  by  ear)  nor  the  hearer  understood.  Yet  this 
comparison  with  the  customary  performances  of  Beeth- 
oven's works  one  can  only  pronounce  exaggerated, 
insomuch  as  one  ascribes  to  tone-speech,  as  the  more 
universal,  an  easier  and  more  immediate  comprehensi- 
bility  than  to  rational  word-speech.  But  here  we  find 
the  fallacy  to  lie  in  the  particular  sense  in  which  we 
use  the  word  "  understanding."  Provided  no  special 
poetic  subject  is  expressed  in  the  tone-speech,  it  may 
by  all  means  pass  as  easily  understandable ;  for  there 
can  be  no  question  of  real  understanding.  If,  however, 
the  expression  of  thb  tone-speech  is  conditioned  by  a 
poetical  subject,  this  speech  becomes  straightway  the 
least  comprehensible  of  all,  if  the  poetical  subject  be 
not  at  the  same  time  defined  by  some  other  means  of 
expression  than  those  of  absolute  music. 

The  riddle  of  the  poetical  subject  of  a  tone-piece  by 
Beethoven  is  thus  only  to  be  solved  by  a  tone-poet ; 
for,  as  I  remarked  before,  Beethoven  involuntarily 
appealed  only  to  such,  to  those  who  were  of  like 


TO    UHLIG.  187 

feelings,  like  culture,  nay,  well-nigh  like  capability  with 
himself.  Such  a  man  alone  can  interpret  these  compo- 
sitions to  the  understanding  of  the  laity,  and  above  all 
by  clearly  defining  the  subject  of  the  tone-poem,  to  the 
executants  as  well  as  to  the  audience,  and  thus  making 
good  an  involuntary  error  in  the  technique  of  the 
tone-poet,  who  omitted  such  denotement.  If  a  right 
understanding  be  not  effected  in  such  a  way,  every 
performance  of  Beethoven's  veritable  tone-poems,  how- 
ever technically  perfect,  must,  in  a  measure,  remain 
misunderstood.  The  most  convincing  proof  of  this  we 
may  easily  win  by  accurately  gauging  the  attitude  of  our 
modern  concert-audience  towards  Beethoven's  creations. 
Were  these  really  understood  by  the  audience,  that 
is  to  say,  consonantly  with  their  poetical  subject,  how 
could  this  same  public  tolerate  a  modern  concert- 
programme  ?  How  were  it  possible  to  set  before  the 
hearers  of  a  Beethovenian  Symphony  at  the  same  time 
a  medley  of  musical  compositions  utterly  lacking  in 
depth  of  content  ?  Yet  do  not  our  musical  conductors 
and  composers  themselves,  for  the  same  reason,  namely, 
that  they  have  not  recognized  the  poetical  basis  of 
these  tone-creations,  prove  by  the  matter  and  the  manner 
of  what,  in  spite  of  Beethoven's  warning  example,  they 
compose  to-day,  that  they  have  never  rightly  understood 
them  ? 

Were  the  confused  and  erratic  instrumental  com- 
position-mongering  of  the  day  possible,  if  these  people 
had  understood  the  true  essence  of  Beethoven's  tone- 
poems?  This  essence  of  the  great  works  of  Beethoven 
is  that  they  are  only  in  the  last  place  Music,  but,  in 
the  first  place,  contain  a  poetic  subject.  Or  shall 


1 88  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

we  be  told  that  this  subject  is  only  taken  from  the  realm 
of  music  ?  Would  this  not  be  as  much  as  to  say  that 
the  poet  takes  his  subject  from  speech,  the  painter,  his 
from  colour  ?  The  musical  conductor  who  sees  in  one 
of  Beethoven's  tone-works  nothing  but  the  music,  is 
exactly  like  the  reciter  who  should  hold  only  by  the 
language  of  a  poem,  or  the  explainer  of  a  picture  who 
should  see  in  the  painting  nothing  but  its  colour.  This, 
however,  is  the  case  with  our  conductors,  even  in  the 
best  instances — for  many  do  not  even  so  much  as  under- 
stand the  music — they  understand  the  key,  the  theme, 
the  distribution  of  the  voices,  the  instrumentation,  and 
so  on,  and  think  that  herewith  they  understand  all  the 
contents  of  a  tone-work. 

It  is  only  the  non-professional  musician  who  has 
opened  the  path  to  the  understanding  of  Beethoven's 
works,  as  involuntarily  he  longed  to  know  what  special 
thought  had  influenced  the  composer  in  his  music.  But 
here  men  met  their  first  obstacle.  Imagination,  striving 
for  understanding,  laid  its  hand  on  all  kinds  of  arbitrary 
conceits,  of  romantic  scenes  and  picturesque  adventure. 
The  grotesqueness,  and  for  the  most  part  triviality,  of 
such  interpretations  was  soon  detected  and  thrust  on 
one  side  by  minds  of  finer  calibre.  As  such  pictures 
proved  distasteful,  folk  thought  it  the  best  plan  to  lay 
aside  once  for  all  any  kind  of  explanation.  Yet  in  the 
impulse  that  led  to  such  attempts  at  interpretation 
there  lay  a  right  sound  instinct ;  but  it  was  only  pos- 
sible for  one  completely  intimate  with  the  characteristic 
traits  of  the  tone-work  to  designate  its  subject,  in  such 
a  manner  as  it  had — even  though  unconsciously — 
hovered  before  the  vision  of  the  tone-poet  himself 


TO    UHLIG.  189 

Again,  the  great  difficulty  of  such  interpretations  lay 
in  the  character  of  the  subject  itself,  which  is  only  pre- 
sented to  us  by  the  tone-poet  in  his  tone-painting  ;  and 
only  one  who  had  well  weighed  this  difficulty  could 
successfully  dare  attempt  to  assist  a  right  understanding 
in  the  needful  manner.  Here  you  might  narrate  the 
history  of  the  performance  of  the  Ninth  Symphony  at 
Dresden,  and  above  all  the  remarkable  success  attained 
there  by  this  reputedly  most  difficult  of  all  composi- 
tions. Further,  you  might  relate  how  I  never  after 
that  consented  to  a  performance  of  one  of  Beethoven's 
compositions  without  in  some  way  directing  myself  to 
the  understanding  in  this  fashion,  and  that  I  was  im- 
pelled thereto  by  the  irrepressible  feeling  of  the  necessity 
of  such  understanding.  Most  striking  in  every  case 
was  the  effect  of  my  method  upon  the  executants 
themselves.  Even  the  most  ordinary  dance-musicians 
I  have  here  in  Zurich  coached  up  to  performances  of 
which  neither  the  public  nor  themselves  had  before 
the  slightest  anticipation.  (Take  this  as  though  it  came 
from  a  private  source,  as,  for  instance,  that  K.  had  told 
you  the  tale.)  You  might  then  adduce  my  pamphlet, 
"  The  Heroic  Symphony,"  and  report  how  great  was 
the  effect  of  its  understanding,  especially  upon  the 
musicians.  [I  must  here  note  that  my  chief  explana- 
tions are  given  in  the  rehearsals  by  word  of  mouth, 
and  at  the  appropriate  passages.]  It  was,  however, 
in  my  "  Coriolan  Overture  "  that  I  was  able  to  arrive 
at  the  clearest  interpretation  of  the  poetical  subject. 
I  may  say  that  he  who  knows  accurately  my  explana- 
tion of  this  subject,  and  follows  its  clue  from  phrase 
to  phrase,  must  admit  that  without  this  explanation 


190  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

he  had  never  understood  this  most  plastic  of  all  tone- 
works  ;  unless,  indeed,  he  had  from  the  general  title, 
"  Overture  to  Coriolan"  felt  out  for  himself  the  scene 
just  as  I  did  myself.  With  such  an  understanding 
the  enjoyment  of  such  a  composition  is  immeasurably 
enhanced.  At  present  almost  all  our  musicians  have  .  .  . 
etc.,  etc. 

And  the  goal  of  this  endeavour  ? — THE  DRAMA  !  ! ! 

Only  notices  of  this  kind,  best  friend,  must  hence- 
forth be  given  in  the  Zeitung  fur  Musik.  You  see 
how  much  there  is  to  say  on  that  point.  Let  us  hold 
fast  to  the  principle  which  I  laid  down  in  my  letter 
to  Brendel :  "  Ever  to  raise,  strengthen,  and  advance 
music,  where  it  is  developing  itself  in  the  direction  of 
poetical  art ;  and  where  this  is  not  the  case,  to  point 
out  the  mistake,  and  condemn  what  is  faulty."  Beyond 
this  nothing  should  be  done  now.  If  this  is  not  done — 
well,  I  don't  care  a  rap ;  for,  after  all,  the  happiness 
of  my  life  does  not  depend  on  the  Zeitung  fur  Musik. 

Adieu  for  to-day. 

****** 

I  must  hastily  add  something  to  what  I  have  said 
above,  viz.,  that  in  a  certain  most  weighty,  and  per- 
haps the  only  right  sense,  Beethoven  has  hitherto  been 
only  understood  by  wow-musicians,  and  by  professional 
musicians  not  at  all. 

(You  must  work  all  this  out  in  greater  detail.) 
Mendelssohn's  performance  of  Beethoven's  works  was 
always  based  only  upon  their  purely  musical  side, 
and  never  upon  their  poetical  contents,  which  he  could 
not  grasp  at  all ;  otherwise  he  would  himself  have 
brought  far  other  wares  to  market.  For  my  own  part, 


TO    UHLIG. 


Mendelssohn's  conducting,  despite  its  great  technical 
delicacy,  always  left  me  unsatisfied  as  to  the  root  of  the 
matter  ;  it  was  always  as  though  he  could  not  trust  to 
letting  that  be  said  which  Beethoven  meant,  because  he 
was  not  at  one  with  himself  as  to  whether  anything  at 
all  was  meant,  and  if  so,  what  ?  Thus  he  always  held 
on  to  the  letter  with  the  finest  of  musical  cleverness, 
and  thus  was  like  our  philologists,  who,  in  their  exposi- 
tions of  Greek  poets,  must  always  point  out  the  literal 
characters,  the  particles,  the  various  readings,  etc.,  but 
never  the  real  contents.  Mendelssohn's  gross  errors  in 
the  conception  of  the  tempi  show  clearly  his  failure  to 
comprehend  the  content  of  a  composition  ;  and  this 
every  one  will  recognize  who,  for  instance,  heard  his 
tempo  for  the  first  movement  of  the  Ninth  Symphony, 
which  he  took  so  fast  that  the  whole  movement  was 
distorted  to  the  direct  opposite  of  what  it  really  is. 
In  this  he  suddenly  revealed  himself  to  me  as  a  most 
ordinary  music-maker,  and  I  recognized  at  once  the 
reason  why  he  himself  could  never  create  anything 
different  from  what  he  did  create. 
Well,  enough  on  this  matter. 

Please  be  good  enough  to  see  at  once  to  the  following 
with  Brendel.  For  the  edition  in  pamphlet  form  of  my 
open  letter  to  him,  I  want  added  to  the  note  under  the 
text  (relating  to  the  Grenzboteri)  something  which  I  had 
forgotten,  but  which  for  clearness'  sake  ought  not  to  be 
left  forgotten.  It  should  run  as  follows  :  — 

"  That  among  our  critical  literary  men,  etc.  From 
that  you  see,  etc.  From  the  frontier  (Grenze)  line  which 
they  have  drawn,  they  send  out  their  runners  (Boten) 
right  and  left,  and  so  know  how  to  manage  in  any  event  ; 


192  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 


/just  as  lately  they  denounced  me  on  the 
left  hand  to  the  democrats  as  a  secret 
aristocrat,  and  to  the  centre  of  our  civili- 


Here  comes 


zation,  the  Jews,  as  their  bitterest  per- 


t he  new\  secutor ;  so  we  may  be  sure  that  if  the 
matter.  Russian  police  should  march  in  from  the 

right,  they  would  equally  hand  us  over 
to  these,  after  they  had  recommended 
^  their  literary  rubbish  to  their  protection. 
The  fear  of  chastisement,"  etc. 

You  see  my  only  purpose  in  mentioning  the  Grenzboten 
is  to  show  them  up  as  scoundrels. 

Now,  only  fancy,  you  must  send  me  another  score ; 
and,  indeed,  of  the  Flying  Dutchman.  I  cannot  let  the 
theatre  here  have  my  extra  copy,  as  I  have  retouched 
the  instrumentation,  and  so  intend  it  to  serve  as  model 
to  the  score-copies  which  may  be  wanted  later  on.  So 
as  soon  as  the  score  which  you  will  send  for  our  theatre 
has  been  made  like  my  copy,  I  shall  send  the  latter  first 
of  all  to  Weimar,  so  that  the  score  there  may  likewise 
be  made  to  correspond,  and  then  have  it  forwarded  to 
you,  so  that  you  may  have  it  at  your  disposal  in  case 
new  scores  should  have  to  be  got  ready.  So  get  your 
good  wife  again  to  take  up  her  needle  and  packing- 
canvas,  and  send  me  a  Dutchman  to  Zurich  ;  but  don't 
be  angry  at  my  worrying  you  again. 

The  censor-gap  in  your  "  information  "  is  quite  intel- 
ligible to  me,  now  that  I  know  what  has  been  struck 
out.  If  ever  I  should  wish  to  bring  out  a  new  edition 
of  my  old  works,  "  Art  and  Revolution,"  etc.,  I  should 
be  prepared  for  a  prohibition.  Two  years  ago  they  had 
not  plucked  up  this  courage  of  reaction  which  they  have 


TO    UHLIG.  193 

now  acquired.  I  wonder  whether  they  will  pursue  us 
right  into  the  territory  of  art,  so  as  to  suppress  all  ideas 
of  an  innovatory  character.  They  have,  in  fact,  left  us 
a  fatal  playground,  and  one  day  they  will  understand 
what  dangerous  use  can  be  made  of  it  against  them.  I 
feel  almost  inclined  to  inform  against  this  danger,  so  as 
to  compel  them  to  place  art  also  under  police  super- 
vision. I  am  convinced  one  might  bring  them  to  look 
upon  literature  as  the  most  innocent  thing  of  all. 

It  seems  as  though  the  letter  I  expect  from  you  to- 
day will  not  arrive,  and  so  I  will  close  this  epistle  on 
art  and  literature,  that  you  may  be  able  to  enjoy  it  in 
right  time.  Yesterday  evening  I  rehearsed  the  C-minor 
symphony  again ;  I  fancy  the  performance  would  not  have 
left  you  cold.  Anyhow,  it  is  far  better  than  the  Dresden 
performance,  whers,  out  of  respect  for  you  worthy 
royal-chamber  musicians,  I  had  to  slur  over  the  best 
which  could  have  been  said.  I  only  wish  you  could 
hear  the  'cello  theme  of  the  second  movement  played, 
and  compare  it  with  the  muffled  tone  of  your  famous 
mechanical  players. — 

Adieu.     Greetings  at  home  and  to  the  R.'s. 

Your 
R.  W. 

Sunday,    February  i$tli,  '52. 

56. 

DEAR  FRIEND, 

I  really  cannot  imagine  that  you  will  again 
have  to  send  packing-canvas  to  me  at  Zurich  :  in  all 
probability  the  matter  is  now  at  an  end.  But  keep  the 
material,  nevertheless :  perhaps  you  will  soon  have 

13 


194  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

to  send  it  off  in  some  other  direction  for  me.  The 
Leipzig  people  (in  a  foolish  manner,  through  Sturm 
and  Koppe)  inquired  about  the  honorarium  for 
Tannhauscr.  I  have  replied  to  Rietz,  and  promised 
the  score,  but  only  on  condition  that  Rietz  would 
answer  for  the  quality  of  the  performance. — Within 
a  very  short  space  of  time'  Tannhduser  has  been  given 
four  times  in  succession  at  Schwerin,  the  subscription 
list  being  withdrawn,  and  with  crowds  from  all  parts 
(even  by  rail)  :  the  success  is  so  great  that  they  might 
soon  try  Lohengrin.  Anyhow,  they  have  commenced 
well  there  :  for  instance,  they  were  very  firm  with  the 
singers,  who,  at  first,  had  to  learn  all  the  recitatives  in 
strict  time,  and  thus  find  out  that  they  could  not 
possibly  declaim  them  better  than  as  I  had  prescribed  ; 
only  after  that  were  they  allowed  a  little  liberty,  etc. — 

Nothing  will  come  of  the  Dutchman  here  this  time  : 
the  manager  wished  to  have  the  decorations  painted 
at  Munich,  and  for  that  it  is  now  too  late.  Heaven 
be  praised  !  So  for  the  present  I  am  rid  of  this 
martyrdom  :  Fischer  and  Tichatschek  must  hold  that 
matter  of  the  parts  in  suspense :  after  all  they  might 
be  wanted. 

Make  your  mind  easy  about  the  Tannhattser  over- 
ture !  The  Musical  Society  will  send  for  the  .best 
fiddlers,  etc.,  from  Basle,  Aarau,  Schaffhausen,  etc., 
nearly  all  of  them  German-born  musical  directors.  I 
shall  have  eighteen  to  twenty  violins,  six  violas,  and 
five  'cellos,  including  a  great  virtuoso,  Bohm  (from  the 
Hechingen  orchestra).  And  then  our  little  orchestra 
has  made  wonderful  progress  :  the  wind-players — 
clarinets,  oboes,  and  horn — are  first-rate.  The  Egmont 


TO    UHLIG.  195 

entijacte  I  had  practised  with  the  oboist,  in  my  own 
room,  as  if  he  were  a  lady  vocalist:  the  fellow 
could  not  contain  himself  for  joy  at  what  he  at  last 
produced. 

At  the  first  rehearsal  of  the  Tannhauser  overture 
(which,  contrary  to  all  my  expectations,  went  off 
exceedingly  well)  the  orchestra  begged  me  to  give  them 
an  explanation  of  the  contents,  after  the  fashion  of  the 
Coriolan  Overture,  because  then  they  would  be  able 
to  "  play  better."  The  explanation  is  ready  :  I  enclose 
you  two  copies  (one  of  them  for  the  R.'s).  The 
performance  is  announced  for  March  i6th  ;  item,  the 
Pastoral  Symphony,  as  a  good  contrast. — 

I  have  not  kept  my  Don  Juan  arrangement  (Bear- 
beitung).  I  had  done  nothing  more  than  carefully 
shade  the  orchestration,  translate  the  dialogue  afresh, 
and  condense  some  of  the  scenes  so  as  to  avoid 
scene-shifting, — to  that  end  I  specially  modified  the 
scenes,  and  finally  wrote  a  recitative  for  Donna 
Anna  and  Octavio,  so  as  to  connect  the  churchyard 
scene  with  the  Donna  Anna  Aria, .  likewise  to  avoid 
scene-shifting.  After  Don  Juan  and  Leporello  have 
gone  over  the  wall,  the  orchestra  softly  prolongs  the 
chord  of  F  major ;  the  two  mourners  (accompanied  by 
servants  with  torches)  come  to  place  wreaths  on  the 
grave  of  the  Commendatore ;  it  is  here  that  a  short 
dialogue  commences  mezzo  recitative,  leading  directly 
to  the  Aria,  which  latter,  when  sung  in  the  churchyard, 
gains  a  very  noble  and  plaintive  colour.  Besides 
certain  trifling  changes,  I  did  not,  for  instance,  allow 
the  great  Quartet  to  commence  with  the  stupid  solo 
"  B  flat "  in  the  bass  while  Elvira  softly  utters  her 


196  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

complaint,  but  made  Elvira  sing  the  introductory  words 
from  the  preceding  recitative,  "  Treff  ich  Dich  wieder, 
treuloser  Heuchler"  accompanied  by  the  full  volume 
of  the  string  quartet,  so  that  the  B  flat  (full  chord) 
is  merely  the  close  of  that  phrase,  whereas  it  is 
generally  placed  (in  ridiculous  fashion)  at  the  com- 
mencement. 

That's  enough  about  this  patch-work  !  If  you  wish 
to  give  the  article  prompted  by  me  a  title  and  a  name, 
I  cannot — considering  the  purport  of  my  remarks — I 
cannot  at  all  see  how  you  could  call  it,  "  R.  W.  on  the 
tone-poet  B."  I  should  think  the  following  more 
suitable :  "  On  the  conducting  of  Beethoven's  in- 
strumental works  ;  "  or  if  you  wish  to  honour  me  also 
in  the  title  :  "  R.  W.  as  conductor  of  Beethoven's 
instrumental  works." — 

A  subject  is  here  touched  upon  truly  fatal  to  our 
post-Beethoven  musical  doings  :  in  my  opinion,  nothing 
less  than  the  proof  that  Beethoven,  in  his  true  es- 
sentials, is  universally  and  absolutely  not  understood. 
I,  at  least,  cannot  view  the  matter  otherwise,  as  I 
myself  have  become  convinced  that  /,  too,  have  only 
understood  Beethoven  since  I  sought  for  the  poetical 
subject  of  his  tone  utterances,  and  at  last  found  it : 
Coriolan  proves  this  clearly  to  me.  I  maintain  that 
until  now  people,  when  they  performed  the  real 
Beethoven,  have  only  imitated  and  listened  to  a 
language  of  which  they  perceived  only  the  outward 
sound,  which  indeed  they  only  understood  as  you 
perchance  understand  sonorous  Greek  verse  when  you 
hear  it  recited  ;  i.e.,  you  take  pleasure  in  the  sound,— 
now  soft,  now  strong,  now  muffled,  now  clear, — but  you 


TO    UHLIG.  197 

do  not  perceive  the  sense  which  is  conveyed  in  this 
verse.  Is  it  otherwise  ?  What  now  is  all  our  idolatry 
of  Beethoven  ? — Answer  ! — 

I  have  already  countermanded  my  order  to  Brendel 
about  the  note  (concerning  the  Grenzboteri)  :  it  must 
be  entirely  omitted.  They  have  attacked  me  with  the 
commonest  of  critical  blackguardism,  and  I  should 
have  had  to  take  notice  of  Schladebach  and  company, 
if  I  had  referred  to  them.  They  scent  out  death,  and 
in  dying  show  their  real  nature  :  base  churls,  that  is 
what  they  are — F.  at  the  head.  If  you  doubt  this, 
I  will  prove  it  you  to  a  hair.  So — nothing  more  of 
this  !— 

I  do  not  advise  you  to  take  the  post  of  musical 
director  :  you  would  become  much  more  of  a  slave, 
and  have  many  more  disagreeables,  than  is  now  the 
case.  If  the  post  should  be  offered  to  you — you  will 
completely  crush  L.  if  you  tell  him  this  straight  out, 
and  such  an  effect  could  only  be  an  advantage  ! — 

I  am  heartily  glad  that  your  godfather-and-baptism- 
business  is  happily  over.  Luxurious  being  !  I  have 
never  spent  anything  for  the  baptism  of  a  child. 

(I  have  procured  four  of  the  Mozart  symphonies 
which  I  wished  to  produce  at  Dresden  gradually ; 
among  these,  the  one  in  D  major. — ) 

I  thank  you  for  your  garden-concert  propaganda  of 
Lohengrin  :  do  as  you  like  in  it.  Unfortunately  all 
this  is  quite  indifferent  to  me,  especially  everything 
connected  with  Dresden.  That  is  really  the  most 
miserable  nest  which  I  have  come  across  on  my  earthly 
path. 

Do  not  think  it  necessary  to  send  me  water- warnings  : 


1 98  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

in  Albisbrunn  I  followed  the  cure,  and  tried  to  get  quite 
rid  of  my  eruption.  Here  I  am  living  according  to 
Rausse's  "  Missgriffe,  etc."- 

A  morning  wash  of  sixteen,  now  as  much  as  twenty, 
degrees  of  heat,  comprises  all.  No  compresses  what- 
ever.— For  the  rest  I  am  now  passing  through  a  crisis 
with  regard  to  my  future  cure-plans,  the  result  of  which 
I  shall  shortly  be  able  to  let  you  know. — 

H.  Miiller  has  returned  from  Paris :  he  is  now  trying 
for  a  staff-appointment  in  the  confederacy. — 

Some  new  acquaintances  have  forced  themselves  on 
me :  the  men  are  highly  indifferent  to  me,  the  women 
less  so.  Thus  it  is  with  some  Swiss  families  of  the 
aristocracy  here  (I  refer  only  to  the  women  !).  I  am 
astonished  to  find  so  much  vivacity  and  even  charm 
amongst  them.  On  this  occasion  I  take  the  liberty  of 
advising  you  :  do  not  be  alarmed  on  my  account  ! 
There  will  be  no  "  scandal "  !  I  can  no  longer  take 
pleasure  in  men,  nor  even  in  women :  yet  this  last 
element  is  the  only  one  which  now  and  then  helps  me 
to  an  illusion,  for  concerning  men  I  can  no  longer 
cherish  any.  Thus  I  often  play  here  with  quite 
brilliant  soap-bubbles ;  when  our  soft  atmosphere 
in  a  moment  causes  one  to  burst,  it  amuses  me  to  send 
another  aloft  at  once. 

Besides  Zurich  is  rapidly  increasing  in  size: 

hundreds  of  elegant  residences  are  being  built  this 
year,  on  account  of  the  ever-growing  crowd  of  well- 
bred,  well-to-do  foreigners  who  settle  down  here  to 
escape  from  the  worries  of  the  rest  of  Europe. — 

Farewell  for  to-day !  What  is  the  matter  with  your 
letters  ?  You  dwell  at  length  on  trifles,  and  then 


TO    UHLIG.  199 

when  I  am  expecting  something,  hey  presto  !  the  paper 
is  at  an  end  ! — 

Are  you  again  domiciled  in  Dresden  ? — Well,  take 
this  not  as  a  reproach,  but  as  a  request. — 

Greetings  at  home  and  to  the  R.'s !  They  need  not 
be  anxious,  they  will  not  lose  me  ! — Adieu  ! 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  February  26th,  '52. 

I  should  like  to  have  the  Wiland  for  my  will :  I 
think  daily  of  death. — 

Ask  the  R.'s  to  salute  the  Bayer  for  me  :  I  have 
a  great  liking  for  her,  on  account  of  her  courageous 
behaviour  in  the  eventual  theatre  conspiracy  against 
E.  D. 

57- 
DEAR  FRIEND, 

I  also  recommend  to  you  a  choice  book, — 
" Musical  Letters"  by  a  well-known  man  (Riccius), 
Part  I.,  Letter  25  ;  "Male  and  Female  Vocalists"  p.  224, 
and,  moreover,  Part  II.,  p.  157.— 

As  motto  one  might  take  :  "  One  should  be  very 
clear  oneself  before  making  an  assertion."- 

— This  book  was  sent  me  here  from  the  publishers, 
and  I  must  confess  to  you  that  I  was  seized  with  the 
weakness  to  do  some  more  scribbling  for  the  papers. 
I  wanted  to  write  an  open  letter  to  Riccius  for  the 
Zeitschrift,  give  free  rein  to  my  humour,  and  honour- 
ably explain  that  having  once  set  R.  awry,  and  not 
being  able  to  restore  his  reason,  I  now  wished  to  make 


200  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

him  thoroughly  crazy  (a  la  Rockel),  etc.  That  this 
plan  at  once  filled  me  with  disgust  again,  I  point  out 
to  you  in  the  interest  of  truth,  and  look  upon  it  as 
a  good  sign  of  my  recovery. 

You  are  really  very  lazy  with  your  paper,  and  you 
might  be  a  little  quicker  to  hand  with  corrections,  etc. 
Apropos!  is  your  notice  of  Oper  und  Drama  ready 
yet?— 

I  have  not  learnt  anything  very  new  from  Dr. 
Graban's  pamphlet  on  diet  :  with  his  revelations  of 
Rausse's  exaggerations  the  author  comes  somewhat 
postfestum.  Any  one  who  has  read  Rausse's  last  work, 
" Missgriffe,"  'must  find  it  precious  cool  of  Graban, 
who  has  enriched  himself  in  all  positive  matters  at 
Rausse's  expense,  to  make  so  much  of  the  mistakes 
which  Rausse  himself  had  already  corrected,  and  from 
which,  by  analogy,  one  may  well  conclude  that  Rausse, 
had  he  lived  longer,  would  have  accomplished  far  more 
in  the  way  of  correction  than  Herr  Graban  will  ever 
succeed  in  doing.  In  Rausse  the  fresh  touch  of  nature 
specially  appealed  to  me :  Graban  takes  a  middle 
course  between  what  we  might  be,  and  what  we 
actually  are.  He  justifies  the  existence  of  the  medical 
profession,  and  in  this  at  least  he  is  right,  for  we  shall 
stand  in  need  of  doctors  and  the  science  of  medicine 
so  long  as  we  live  in  our  present  condition.  Graban 
is  often  downright  trivial.  But  what  interested  me 
most  was  his  confirmation  of  a  matter,  which,  after 
discussions  with  Herwegh  and  others,  had  already 
become  quite  clear  to  me,  namely  the  exaggeration, 
founded  on  want  of  knowledge,  in  Rausse's  views  on 
heterogeneous  substances,  the  so-called  poisons :  I 


TO    UHLIG.  201 

confess  that  my  former  firm  faith  in  Rausse  had  led 
me  in  this  respect  into  ridiculous  self-tortures  and 
absurd  assertions.  Well,  in  that  matter  you  had  your 
good  share  of  blame  ! — 

I  will  write  to  you  about  my  state  of  health  and 
about  my  future  plans  of  cure  as  soon  as  I  have  come 
to  a  decision,  the  determination  of  which  I  am  waiting 
to  hear  from  an  uncommonly  gifted  and  (despite  his 
youth)  experienced  hydropathist,  Lindemann  by  name, 
now  living  in  exile  in  Paris.  Kietz  could  never  say 
enough  to  me  about  him :  by  a  marvellously  mild  water 
regimen  he  cured  him  of  a  very  serious  complaint. 
In  France  he  is  now  making  a  sensation  :  his  cures, 
to  several  of  which  Miiller  can  testify  from  personal 
knowledge,  are  said  to  be  extraordinary ; — he  knowrs 
me  through  my  Paris  friends  and  from  my  writings  ; 
he  is  very  fond  of  me,  and  wishes  I  would  consult  him. 
His  speciality  seems  to  be  nervous  complaints.  On 
principle  he  is  opposed  to  cures  in  hydropathic  esta- 
blishments; he  shows  that  everything  is  done  there 
by  the  rule  of  thumb.  For  me  this  is  of  great  im- 
portance ;  for  although  I  have  the  best  will  to  do 
everything  which  will  help  me  to  get  well,  yet  I  have 
an  equally  strong  dislike  to  a  prolonged  stay  in  a 
health-establishment.  To  my  disadvantage  I  have 
found  out  that  only  very  mild  treatment  is  of  any 
avail  to  me  :  my  cure,  therefore,  can  only  be  effected 
very  slowly,  and  can  merely  consist  in  suitable  dieting. 
It  is  quite  impossible  for.  me  to  stay  half  a  year  in  a 
hydropathic  establishment :  to  bid  farewell  tp  intel- 
lectual life  and  active  work  is  with  me  the  surest 
source  of  fresh  uneasiness  and  suffering.  I  am 


202  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

awaiting  Lindemann's  advice.  If  I  had  the  money, 
I  would  go  straight  to  Paris  and  see  him.  I  cannot 
fully  explain  to  you  on  what  my  great  faith  in  Linde- 
mann  is  founded ;  it  has  not  sprung  up  in  a  night. 
I  have  got  so  far  that  I  place  no  faith  in  any  system, 
but  only  in  a  specially  gifted  and  sound  physician,  in 
an  individual.  For  such  an  one  I  long,  not  for  any  fads. 
Still — you  shall  soon  hear  more.— Tell  all  this  to 
the  R.'s,  however. 

You  wrote  to  me  last  on  February  28th.  Since  then 
— on  the  29th — you  must  have  received  a  letter  from 
me.  I  thought  you  would  have  answered  this  by  now, 
and  wait  again  to-day  in  vain  for  it. 

I  thank  you  for  your  communication  respecting 
Gutzkow  and  D.  ;  I  scarcely  know  what  use  I  can 
make  of  it.  Gutzkow  is  cunning.  D.  makes  a  wretched 
impression  on  me :  he  is  the  very  type  of  a  mind 
fundamentally  narrowed  by  its  weakness.  Where  he 
cannot  comprehend  anything  beyond  his  own  weak 
reach,  it  is  so  convenient  for  him  to  despair,  and  to 
console  himself  with  the  "  imperfection  "  of  all  earthly 
things  !  Really  the  man  deserves  nothing  but  contempt. 
You  have  attached  too  much  importance  to  my  inquiry 
concerning  him. — 

B.  writes  me  that  he  wishes  to  publish,  through  the 
Hartels,  two  paraphrases  for  pianoforte  of  a  March 
from  Lohengrin,  and  of  one  from  Tannhauser:  con- 
cerning the  latter  he  must  first  consult  X.  I  naturally 
give  my  consent,  and  X.,  too,  will  surely  not  be  so 
enterprising  as  to  wish  to  publish  the  Tannhauser 
March  all  by  himself:  this  would  certainly  not  please 
B.,  as  he  would  much  rather  have  the  two  pieces 


TO    UHLIG.  203 

brought  out  by  the  same  publisher.  On  the  other 
hand,  X.  might  perhaps  make  some  profit  out  of  the 
thing,  and  (in  the  interest  of  the  creditors)  I  must 
leave  entirely  to  X.  the  answer  which  he  will  give 
to  B.— 

One  thing  more  ! — A.  Miiller,  of  this  place,  who 
bought  a  pianoforte  edition  of  Tannhaiiser  when  it 
first  came  out,  would  like  to  have  the  new  ending. 
Many,  in  fact  nearly  all,  who  possess  the  old  pianoforte 
edition  would  be  of  the  same  mind,  and  I  therefore 
think  it  would  be  quite  the  right  thing  for  X.  to  bring 
out  a  separate  copy  of  the  new  ending,  from  the 
corresponding  page  onwards,  and  offer  it  for  sale  as 
"  Supplement  to  the  first  edition."  He  would  then 
have  to  send  this  off  to  those  libraries  where  he  origin- 
ally placed  the  pianoforte  editions.  Naturally  he 
should  not  have  too  many  struck  off,  at  most  perhaps 
fifty  ;  if  these  should  not  prove  sufficient,  it  could  be 
easily  remedied  later  on.  Only  it  would  have  to  be 
properly  advertised. — 

Up  to  to-day  I  have  not  had  any  answer  from  the 
Leipzig  theatre. — Brendel  received  from  me  some  time 
ago  a  notice  about  my  position  here,  concerning  which 
many  false  reports  are  circulated.  He  was  to  use 
it  as  a  note  to  a  report  received  by  him  from  Lorenz 
of  Winterthur,  of  a  concert  performance  here. 
Why  is  this  not  done  ?  Remind  him  of  it  at  your 
convenience. — 

I  have  now  spent  five  days  over  this  letter  :  I  was 
always  expecting  one  from  you  in  answer  to  my  last. 
You  seem,  however,  to  have  counted  on  receiving  news 
from  me  first !  So  let  these  lines  go  off.— 


204  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

We  are  having  a  spell  of  bright  sunshine,  and  my 
spirits  are  improving  somewhat. — Ah !  if  I  could  only 
have  a  pleasant  journey  this  summer — to  Italy.  I  am 
always  devouring  capital  :  how  unfitting  that,  on  the 
other  hand,  I  get  foddered  with  bare  interest ! ! 
Farewell. 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  March  nth,  '52. 

58. 

DEAREST  FRIEND, 

My  wife  often  does  me  the  wrong  of  keeping 
something  up  her  sleeve  at  convenient  seasons,  and 
then  bringing  it  out  at  an  inconvenient  one,  when  she 
can  no  longer  help  herself.  Thus  lately  she  informed 
me  that  her  parents  would  have  to  move  on  the  ist  of 
April,  and  up  to  that  time  would  be  in  urgent  need 
of  help.  We  can  just  manage  here  up  to  May,  when 
I  again  expect  money  from  R.  ;  but  I  can  no  longer 
undertake  to  send  money  away  from  here :  so  I  should 
be  right  glad  if  an  application  were  made  to  me  from 
Leipzig  respecting  the  price  of  the  Tannhduser  score  ; 
in  a  letter  to  Rietz  I  asked  twenty-five  louis  d'or.  Had 
they  accepted  these  terms,  I  meant  first  of  all  to  let 
you  have  this  sum,  so  that  you  could  take  from  it  not 
only  what  moneys  you  have  laid  out,  but  also  twenty- 
five  thalers  for  my  poor  parents-in-law.  Unfortunately 
I  have  had  to  wait  in  vain  for  an  answer  from  Leipzig, 
and  I  must  therefore  look  about  for  other  means  of 
help,  in  the  pressing  emergency  just  mentioned.  With 
regard  to  my  debt  to  you,  1  had  already  determined  to 


TO    UHL1G.  205 

ask  the  R.'s  to  send  their  next  remittance  through  you 
(to  which,  indeed,  they  do  not  object).  You  would  keep 
back  what  you  have  spent  for  me,  and  we  could  always 
go  on  thus,  for  as  a  rule  in  every  half  year  you  will 
have  spent  money  on  my  account.  If  you  approve 
of  this,  I  have  only  in  the  present  emergency  to  ask 
if  you  could  get  me  the  necessary  twenty-five  thalers 
for  my  parents-in-law  on  credit,  or  lend  it  yourself? 
I  really  hope  that  this  will  be  possible  to  so  thoroughly 
substantial  a  man  as  yourself,  and,  in  this  hope,  I  beg 
you  to  see  after  my  parents-in-law  as  quickly  as 
possible;  anyhow,  before  the  1st  of  April.  At  the 
beginning  of  May  you  will  then  receive  from  the  R.'s 
(to  which  effect  I  shall  write  to  them  at  the  proper 
moment)  the  half-year's  subsidy  for  me,  out  of  which 
you  will  at  once  repay  yourself. — I  should  be  extremely 
glad  if  the  matter  could  be  so  arranged;  it  can  be 
done,  can't  it  ? — 

The  performance  of  the  Tannhauser  overture  has 
now  taken  place :  it  surpassed  all  my  expectations, 
for  it  really  went  admirably.  You  can  best  judge  of 
this  by  its  effect,  which  was  quite  terrific.  I  do  not 
speak  of  the  burst  of  applause  which  immediately 
followed  it,  but  of  the  symptoms  of  that  effect,  which 
only  came  gradually  to  my  knowledge.  The  women, 
in  particular,  were  turned  inside  out;  the  impression 
made  on  them  was  so  strong  that  they  had  to  take 
refuge  in  sobs  and  weeping.  Even  the  rehearsals 
were  crowded,  and  marvellous  were  the  accounts  given 
to  me  of  the  first  effect,  which  expressed  itself  chiefly 
as  profound  sorrowfulness  ;  only  after  this  had  found 
relief  in  tears,  came  the  agreeable  feeling  of  the 


206  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

highest,  exuberant  joy.  Certainly  this  effect  was  only 
made  possible  by  my  explanation  of  the  subject-matter 
of  the  overture ;  but — though  my  own  work  again 
made  a  most  powerful  impression  on  me — I  was 
quite  astounded  at  this  unusually  drastic  operation. 
A  woman  it  was  who  solved  the  riddle :  people  look 
on  me  as  a  merciless  preacher  against  the  sin  of 
hypocrisy. — After  what  I  have  accomplished  with  it 
here,  I  begin  to  set  some  store  by  this  piece  of  music : 
I  really  cannot  think  of  any  other  tone-poem  capable 
of  exercising  a  like  powerful  effect  on  sensitive,  in- 
telligent natures.  But  .the  concert-hall  is  its  place, 
and  not  the  theatre,  where  it  is  a  mere  prelude  to  the 
opera.  There  I  should  propose  only  to  give  the  first 
tempo  of  the  overture :  the  rest — in  the  fortunate 
event  of  its  being  understood — is  too  much  in  front 
of  the  drama  ;  in  the  opposite  event,  too  little.— 

The  day  after  the  performance  Schmidt  wrote  to 
me  from  Frankfort  that  he  thought  he  could  venture 
Tannhauser  shortly.  As  a  preliminary,  he  begged 
me  to  let  him  conduct  the  Overture  and  the  March 
at  a  grand  concert.  I  at  once  sent  him,  for  that 
purpose,  several  hundred  copies  of  the  explanation. — 

It  is  all  right  now  about  the  Flying  Dutchman :  it 
will  be  produced  here  in  the  second  half  of  April. 
I  can  no  longer  prevent  it :  my  friends  here  press 
me  too  much.  A  scene-painter  and  machinist  have 
been  specially  engaged  for  the  staging  of  the  opera  : 
for  the  orchestra,  etc.,  everything  possible  is  to  be 
done.  The  singers  are  well-chosen.  And  so  the 
performance  will  be  good — perhaps  very  good.  The 
Tannhauser  Overture  has  given  me  anew  a  great 


TO    UHLIG.  207 

opinion  of  my  talent  for  making  the  impossible  pos- 
sible.— Would  that  the  R.'s  could  be  present  at  the 
performance  here  ! — 

At  last  I  get  a  post-office  slip  which  promises  news 
from  you.  I  had  already  ceased  trying  to  imagine 
what  (could)  must  have  happened  to  you,  that  you  had 
completely  given  up  writing  to  me.  I  shall  wait  till  the 
packet  comes  from  the  post,  and  then  close  these 
lines  ! — 

I  have  just  read  your  Figaro  letter,  and  thank  you 
heartily  for  it.  I  will  write  to  you  more  in  detail 
soon,  with  a  parcel  which  I  have  to  send  you. 

How  I  reproach  myself  when,  through  some  remark 
concerning  your  conduct,  I  cause  you  to  offer  explana- 
tions. Truly,  in  our  intercourse,  if  one  of  us  two 
need  to  make  apology,  it  is  7,  once  and  always.  Pay 
no  attention,  if  now  and  then  something  in  my  letters 
vexes  you.  Unfortunately  I  am  often  in  such  bitter 
humour  that  it  almost  affords  me  a  cruel  relief  to 
offend  some  one ;  this  is  a  calamity  which  only  makes 
me  the  more  deserving  of  pity.  Only,  pay  no  atten- 
tion to  it !  But  be  ever  assured  that  I  love  you  from 
my  inmost  heart,  and  that  you  are  often  my  only 
consolation. — 

I  am  now  again  frightfully  fagged ;  but  in  the  face 
of  spring,  and  of  setting  to  work  at  my  poem,  I  take 
fresh  courage.  Call  me  not  vain  if  I  confess  to  you 
that  the  wonderful  effects  which  I  produce  around  me 
restore  to  me  now  and  then  a  pleasant  consciousness 
of  my  existence:  again  it  is  always  the  "ever 
womanly "  ("  Ewig  Weibliche ")  which  fills  me  with 
sweet  illusions  and  warm  thrills  of  life's  delight.  The 


208  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

moist,  shining  eye  of  a  woman  often  saturates  me 
with  fresh  hope.  But  you — do  not  complain  if  I  hide 
myself  from  you  and  hold  back  ! — 

Your  news  about  R. — rejoiced  me  !  In  his  position 
it  is  only  a  question  of  stoicism,  and  of  showing  no 
weak  spot  to  his  torturers  !  May  I  be  accursed  if  ever 
an  enemy  shall  hear  me  complain  :  against  such  we 
must  be  bold  and  hard  as  stone.  If  ever  I  wish  to  rid 
me  of  my  life,  I  know  for  what  I  will  venture  it — 
however,  I  will  not  boast. 

Farewell  for  to-day  ;  greetings  to  Siegfried  ! 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  March  2Oth,  '52. 

Don't  let  me  wait  again  so  long  for  a  letter. 

If  Brendel  wants  to  have  a  joke  with  a  portrait  of  me, 
he  ought  not  to  take  the  old  drawing,  which  I  no  longer 
resemble  ;  better  from  a  new  daguerreotype. 

59- 
DEAR  FELLOW  ! 

Look  you !  L.  K.  is  a  silly  owl !  He  only 
looks  at  opera-  and  drama-making  as  a  thing  for  itself: 
of  the  subject  from  which  this  is  only  given  off  as  an 
external  manifestation  of  its  inner  essence,  of  the  free 
man,  he  has  as  yet  no  conception.  Whence  this 
enthusiasm  is  really  derived  is  a  mystery  to  me — an 
enthusiasm  for  an  artistic  form  without  contents  ! 
Good  heavens !  and  such  men  are  my  propagandists  ! 
Well,  it  does  no  harm,  but  neither  does  it  do  any 
good ;  especially  as  the  good  which  could  result  from 


TO    UHLIG.  209 

such  propaganda  must  be  quite  an  imaginary  one. 
O,  ye  men  !  act  as  ye  feel ;  be  free — then  shall  we 
feel  healthily ;  produce  Art !  But  whosoever  fondly 
dreams  of  the  conversion  of  theatre  managers  and  the 
public,  he  is  really  as  great  a  fool  as  the  rest !  Never 
mind !  Besides,  K.  is  decidedly  more  enthusiastic 
about  Brendel  than  about  me. 

Yesterday  I  saw  Marschner's  Vampyr.  A  new 
method  of  cure:  "Moonshine  does  the  trick!"  I 
was  much  amused  to  find  that  the  public  were  not  at 
all  affected  by  the  loathsomeness  of  the  subject ;  of 
course  this  is  only  dulness  of  feeling,  which  in  the 
contrary  case  would  be  equally  unconcerned  at  its 
tenderness.  In  an  opera  children  may  be  slaughtered 
and  eaten,  and  the  public  will  take  no  note  of  what  is 
going  on.  This  time  the  music  quite  disgusted  me : 
this  duet,  trio,  and  quartet,  singing  and  drawling  is 
downright  stupid  and  devoid  of  taste,  as  it  does  not 
even  charm  the  senses,  and  so  only  offers  so  many 
notes  played  and  sung.  I  willingly  grant  that  there 
are  some  exceptions  to  be  made ;  but  now  first  I  see 
how  far  above  this  so-called  "  German  "  manner  my 
operas  stand.  Heaven  knows  this  is  only  a  German 
soled-and-heeled  Italian  music,  impotent  sophistry ; 
nothing  more  nor  less.  The  poisoned  flute  in 
"  Austin  "  amused  me  much. — 

March  251/1.  Yesterday  I  received  a  letter  from  a 
lady  (of  aristocratic  birth)  who  thanks  me  for  my 
writings :  "  they  have  been  her  salvation ; "  she 
declares  herself  a  thorough-paced  revolutionary.  So 
it  is  always  women  who,  with  regard  to  me,  have  their 
hearts  in  the  right  place,  whilst  I  must  almost  entirely 

14 


2IO  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

give  up  men.     If  I  were  to  compare  this  woman  with 

L  .  .  .  .     K !    (A  letter  has  just  come  from 

Fischer   which    I    must    read.)     'Twas    nothing,    only 
about  seeing  to  the  parts  for  the  Flying  Dutchman. 

I  have  read  your  last  letter  through  once  more,  and 
have  found  nothing  special  to  answer.  Only  one  wish 
has  it  strongly  called  forth — to  see  you  soon  again  ! 
That  you  should  not  pay  me  a  visit  this  year  pains  me 
deeply,  and  all  the  more  as  I  see  how  much  less  happy 
you  will  be  during  that  time  in  Dresden  than  you 
would  if  you  came  here  !  In  truth  I  greatly  pity  you, 
and  your  resignation  naturally  does  not  much  comfort 
me.  How  merrily  and  (under  certain  conditions)  how 
prosperously  could  we,  who  are  on  intimate  terms, 
live,  if  we  made  trial  of  an  intelligent  communism  ! 
If,  in  leading  a  modest  life  of  close  communion,  the 
united  income  of  a  family  were  distributed  among  us, 
what  sufficiency  we  all  should  have  to  enjoy  our  little 
bit  of  life  without  a  care !  On  what  miserable  living 
is  it  now  expended  !  Truly,  between  theory  and 
practice,  there  is  an  infernal  difference ! — 

Yesterday  a  portrait  painter  and  lithographer  pounced 
upon  me  :  he  wants  to  take  me  entirely  on  his  own 
account ;  his  trial-sketches  have  much  pleased  me ;  so 
at  last  I  am  in  for  it.  In  connection  with  this,  Brendel 
came  into  my  mind.  If  he  means  to  give  me,  he 
ought  not  to  take  the  old  daub :  as  it  concerns  my 
physiognomy,  I  am  a  little  interested  in  the  matter ; 
I  am  tired  of  that  silly  dressing-gown  portrait.  So 
beg  him  the  rather  not  to  give  my  portrait.  If 
I  am  taken  by  the  painter  here  it  will  naturally 
be  in  large  size,  and  thus  it  probably  will  not 


TO    UHLIG.  2  1  I 

do  for  the  newspaper.  So — let  the  matter  quite 
alone  ! — 

For  the  moment  friend  and  fiddler  Ernst  is  here : 
this  G-to-E  being  was,  in  a  measure,  recommended  to 
me,  and  so  I  cannot  altogether  escape  from  his 
melancholy  string-existence.  He  brought  me  a 
message  from  Hiller,  who,  with  regard  to  a  remark 
in  my  Preface,  begs  to  assure  me,  that  though  he 
might  not  always  understand  me,  yet  he  is  not  only 
my  "  former  "  but  also  my  present  friend.  (People  of 
this  sort  are  now  beginning  to  feel  highly  piqued  :  my 
retiring  into  my  shell  casts  a  fatal  shadow  on  their 
path.) 

No  answer  yet  from  Leipzig :  Rietz  must  have  taken 
fright  at  me.  Only  Sturm  and  Koppe  have  inquired  of 
the  theatre  director  here,  if  he  perchance  knew  why 
I  had  not  answered  them  !  — 

I  now  send  you  to-day  a  newly  arranged  score  of 
the  Flying  Dutchman,  with  the  request  that  you  will 
keep  it  by  you  once  for  all,  so  that  in  case  the  score 
should  ever  be  asked  for,  the  copy  could  be  made  from 
it — as  in  the  case  of  Tannhauser.  As  Liszt  is  thinking 
of  giving  this  opera  in  the  summer,  I  particularly  beg 
you  to  ask  him  to  return  at  once  the  score  which  he 
has  there,  the  one  which  was  sent  to  him  by  my  wife 
in  the  summer  of  1849,  so  that  you  may  set  it  right 
before  the  parts  are  copied  out.  You  would  then  send 
him  back  the  corrected  copy. 

(Put  all  this  down  to  our  half-yearly  account,  as  I 
lately  mentioned.) 

At  first  I  did  not  wish  to  systematically  revise  this 
score  :  for  on  closer  examination  I  found  that  to  re- 


212  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

arrange  the  instrumentation,  in  accordance  with  my 
present  experience,  I  should  have,  for  the  most  part, 
to  do  all  the  work  over  again;  and,  naturally,  the 
desire  for  such  a  task  cooled  down  at  once.  In  order 
to  reduce  the  whole  brass,  for  instance,  to  reasonable 
proportions,  I  should  have  had  to  alter  everything 
consistently  therewith ;  for  the  brass  was  not  merely 
incidental  here,  but  was  determined  by  the  whole 
manner  not  only  of  the  scoring,  but  of  the  composition 
itself. 

This  discovery  certainly  vexed  me,  but — I  would 
rather  confess  the  fault  than  improve  it  in  an  unsatis- 
factory manner.  Only,  therefore,  where  it  was  purely 
superfluous  have  I  struck  out  some  of  the  brass,  here 
and  there  given  it  a  somewhat  more  human  tone,  and 
only  thoroughly  overhauled  the  coda  of  the  overture. 
I  remember  that  it  was  just  this  coda  which  always 
annoyed  me  at  the  performances ;  now  I  think  it  will 
answer  to  my  original  intention.  The  changes  must 
be  clearly  indicated  in  the  score,  and  often  it  would  be 
best  for  them  to  be  written  out  on  fresh  sheets  of 
stout  paper :  better  spend  a  little  money  on  it  than 
have  anything  unclear  ! — 

This  work,  however,  has  altogether  much  interested 
me  :  it  has  an  uncommonly  impressive  colour,  and 
indeed,  one  most  definite  in  character.  It  is  striking 
to  see  how  embarrassed  I  then  was  by  musical  declama- 
tion ;  and  the  operatic  style  of  singing  (for  instance 
fe  1  fc)  still  weighed  heavily  on  my  imagina- 
tion.— 

Your  article  on  the  Schumann  symphony  was  again 
wonderfully  learned  :  you  are  a  d d  fine  fellow  ! 


TO    UHLIG.  213 

I  am  curious  to  see  what  will  come  of  it.- — For  the  rest 
it  does  not  occur  to  me  to  expect  anything  from  the 
paper  for  myself  ! — I  know  that — in  all  that  concerns 
the  practical  present — I  speak  to  the  wind,  and  must 
wait  in  vain ;  but  I  am  content  if  I  prove  this  in 
effect,  and  thus  ever  reveal  anew  the  necessity  for 
the  total  overthrow  of  our  modern  practice — at  any 
rate,  to  all  thinking  minds. 

The  song  did  not  satisfy  me  :  it  were  better  it  had 
been  left  out ;  it  is  all  made  bar  by  bar,  and  with  no 
grasp  of  the  whole.  These  eternal  harmonic  tricks 
are  becoming  quite  intolerable  to  me  now,  and  I 
believe — now  that  I  have  my  rhythmic  verse  to  hand- 
that  in  future  I  shall  be  able  to  proceed  quite  otherwise 
with  harmony  than  formerly.  By  this  I  do  not  mean 
that  I  should  return  to  patriarchal  simplicity :  but  my 
harmonies  will  move  in  broader  expansion — more 
distinctly,  and  more  definitely.  This  at  least  is  how 
my  new  lyrical  element — made  possible  by  means  of 
my  new  verse — is  revealing  itself  to  me. — 

With  regard  to  X.'s  assurance  and  your  timidity, 
you  have  quite  the  right  feeling  :  you  understand  what 
the  matter  is,  but  X.  and  company  do  not  understand 
it.  The  K.  article  really  shows  me  how  fearfully  far 
behind  they  are  still,  and  still  more  so  his  pencil  lines 
to  Br.  For  them  art  is  always  something  cut  off  from 
life,  something  too  definitely  the  master  of  its  own 
caprice.  If  one  shouts  this  in  their  ears  as  I  have 
done,  amongst  other  places,  in  the  Preface  and  in 
the  second  part  of  Oper  und  Drama,  they  well- 
meaningly  close  their  ears  and  say :  "  O  yes,  those 
are  your  exaggerations,  but  they  don't  mislead  us." 


214  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

How  lucky  it  is  that  they  cannot  be  misled !  O  !  the 
strong  men !  Weak  women  are  anyhow  easier  to 
mislead. 

I  send  you,  together  with  the  score,  all  that  you 
wished  for  besides  :  only  I  can't  find  the  Glassbrenner 
calendar ;  I'll  send  it  another  time  ! — 

With  the  advent  of  spring  my  great  poem  takes 
ever  stronger  hold  of  me  :  I  shall  soon  be  at  work  ; 
the  wealth  of  material  grows  almost  to  excess,  and 
I  must  soon  begin,  so  as  to  be  soon  rid  of  it. 

Anyhow — it  will  be  something,  it  will  be  the  best 
I  can  do. — 

So  farewell  then  for  to-day  !  Unfortunately  I  have 
no  news  yet  from  my  doctor ;  yet  I  am  resolved  not 
to  go  to  an  establishment  again.  I  will  write  shortly 
to  the  R.'s  (to  the  mother) :  greetings  to  them  and  at 
home — also  to  the  two-cans-of-"  milk  "-measure  Sieg- 
fried.— 

Adieu  !  hold  me  in  kind  remembrance. 

Your 
R.  W. 

In  the  score  of  the  Dutchman  you  will  find  also  the 
supplementary  additions  to  Tannhduser — written  down 
by  Fischer— and  with  these  you  can  have  a  new  score 
prepared. 

60. 

DEAREST  FRIEND, 

Two  hasty  lines  to  you  ! 

You  will  learn  everything  from  the  R.'s  except  what 
concerns  the  Leipzig  theatre  management ;  the  R.'s 


TO   UHLIG.  215 

must  learn  that  from  you  !  So  my  conditions  for  the 
performance  of  Tannhauser  were  too  exorbitant  ?  This 
is  too  heavenly  not  to  have  amused  me !  Listen  ! 

I  was  asked  through  Sturm  and  Koppe  what  my 
demand  for  honorarium  would  be.  Thereon  I  wrote  to 
Rietz  that  on  such  a  matter  I  could  not  treat  with  a 
business  office,  as  my  chief  conditions  were  of  an 
artistic  nature.  From  the  inquiry,  however,  I  see  that 
there  is  a  movement  in  favour  of  a  performance  of 
Tannhauser;  and  as  I  presume  this  emanates  from 
Rietz,  I  perceive  in  it  also  the  best  guarantee  for  the 
good  artistic  character  of  the  proposed  performance. 
On  this  assumption  I  therefore  willingly  consented  to  the 
performance,  and  asked  twenty-eight  louis  d'or,  to  be 
paid,  however,  immediately  on  receipt  of  the  score  (on 
account  of  the  public  exchequer) ;  but  mentioned  that 
the  question  of  honorarium  was  not  that  to  which  I 
attached  the  most  importance. — Thereupon  I  receive  no 
news,  and  now  first  learn  through  you  that  my  (probably 
the  artistic)  conditions  are  exorbitant.  What  is  one  to 
say  to  persons  like  Rietz,  who  find  it  extravagant,  if  I 
presume  that  he  will  exert  himself  to  secure  a  good 
performance  ?  Do  let  Brendel  know  this.  But  perhaps 
the  Leipzig  folk  will  hencefonvard  .  .  . 

(Do  come  to  me  !     I  have  such  a  longing  !) 

This  story  has  again  quite  sobered  me  down. 
You  must  keep  the  description  of  the  Tannhauser 
Overture,  in — case — the  overture — should — be — per — 
formed — anywhere.  Then  the  explanation  would  be 
to  hand. 

What  are  you  doing  ? — My  Dutchman  flies  here  on 
the  2Oth.  Sea  and  rocks  are  being  painted,  and  ships 


216  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

hammered  together,  so  that  everything  is  in  a  hubbub. 
Once  again  I  shall  be  beset  on  all  sides. 

Lindemann  has  written.  An  excellent  method  of 
cure  !  I  remain  here,  and  compose  poetry.— 

Soon  more  from  your 

R.  W. 

ZURICH,  April  $th,  '52. 

(If  I  could  only  see  the  Berlin  painter  from  Brunnen 
once  more !) 

61. 

DEAREST  FRIEND, 

Many  thanks  for  your  last  letter.  I  wrote  lately 
to  Frau  R.  As  she  is  already  resigned  to  Pillnitz,  I 
cannot  venture  to  expect  much  from  her  decision. 

I  enclosed  a  small  letter  for  you,  which  gave  you  an 
account  of  the  Leipzig  Tannhauser  affair.  Now  I  have 
to  ask  your  help  again  in  a  new  piece  of  confusion 
which  has  arisen.  In  order  to  make  it  clear  to  you,  let 
me  proceed  historically. 

In  the  year  1846,  Dr.  Schmidt,  at  that  time  the 
Leipzig  theatre-director,  asked  me  for  the  score  of  the 
Flying  Dutchman  with  a  view  to  performance.  So — 
with  my  Tannhauser  experience  to  hand — I  retouched 
the  instrumentation  most  carefully,  and  sent  the  revised 
copy  to  Schmidt.  The  performance — under  God's  help 
— came  to  nothing ;  but  up  to  now,  when  I  again  began 
to  think  of  the  Dutchman,  I  was  too  easy-going  to 
inquire  after  the  Leipzig  score,  which  had  become  of 
no  use ;  the  rather,  I  set  to  work  afresh  to  retouch  the 
instrumentation,  but  at  last  lost  patience,  so  that — as 
you  will  have  perceived — I  often,  and  mostly,  contented 


TO    UHLIG.  217 

myself  with  minor  alterations.  Then  the  Dresden 
orchestral  parts  arrived,  and  the  musical  director, 
Schoneck,  who  was  to  set  them  right  according  to  my 
new  version,  finds,  to  his  astonishment,  that  these  parts 
have  already  been  most  minutely  altered  according  to 
another  and  more  thoroughly  retouched  copy.  Then 
only  does  it  occur  to  me  that  before  I  sent  off  the  score 
retouched  for  Leipzig,  I  gave  it  to  our  Dresden  copying 
department  so  as  to  arrange  our  own  orchestral  parts 
in  conformity  therewith.  Now  I  am  in  this  fix.  The 
parts  do  not  agree  with  the  score  which  I  have  to  hand 
here  ;  but  I  will  not  have  them  changed,  because  the 
former  retouching  is  more  thorough ;  so  I  now  require 
that  earlier  retouched  score.  I  am  now  pretty  certain 
that  I  had  the  Dresden  score  made  like  the  Leipzig  one, 
or  rather,  that  I  gave  a  lithograph  copy  of  the  Dutchman 
to  the  office  for  that  purpose ;  so  that  at  the  present 
moment  there  exist  two  copies  of  the  score  in  Dresden 
— the  original  one,  and  a  new  one  lithographed  and 
retouched.  I  should  like  to  receive  the  second  one  as 
speedily  as  possible  ;  and  I  therefore  beg  you  to  entreat 
Fischer,  in  my  name,  to  get  Busch  at  once  to  give  him 
the  said  score  also  (which  will  not  be  a  matter  of  any 
special  difficulty),  and  then  you  can  send  it  as  soon  as 
possible  by  post,  addressed  to  the  theatre-director 
Lowe  here. 

But  this  affair  has  further  consequences.  For  the 
copy  which  has  now  to  be  prepared  for  Weimar,  and 
perhaps  for  other  copies  which  may  be  wanted  later  on 
elsewhere,  I  should  like  you  also  to  take  as  model  that 
older  version  (as  it  is  the  more  thorough).  Nothing 
beyond  the  close  of  the  overture  should  be  altered  in 


218  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

accordance  with  the  latest  version,  the  rest  according 
to  the  older  one,  excepting  if  it  should  turn  out  here 
and  there  that  I  had  been  more  thorough  in  my  recent 
than  in  my  former  changes.  For  this  purpose  I  wish 
you  would  hunt  up  that  Leipzig  score,  so  as  to  procure 
it  for  yourself.  Unfortunately  I  do  not  know  whether 
Dr.  Schmidt  is  still  living  in  Leipzig  :  Brendel,  how- 
ever, could  obtain  information  on  this  point.  Then 
one  woul'd  have  to  find  out  whether  Schmidt  kept  the 
score  for  himself,  or  handed  it  over  with  the  inventory 
to  the  succeeding  management.  No  one  in  Leipzig  has 
a  right  to  the  score,  as  I  received  no  honorarium  for  it ; 
but  one  hundred  thalers  were  to  be  paid  me  after  the 
performance  (which,  as  you  know,  did  not  take  place). 
If  you  obtain  this  score,  keep  it  at  your  disposal :  if 
you  cannot  get  it,  then  the  altered  Dresden  score,  when 
I  have  sent  it  back,  must  serve  as  model. — 
Abominable  nuisance ! — 

We  have  fabulously  fine  weather  here  now.  Good 
heavens !  how  I  should  like  to  fly  well  away  this 
summer,  as  far  as  Italy !  But,  after  the  Leipzig  expe- 
riences, I  have  still  less  hope  of  receipts.  I  may  be 
glad  if  in  the  course  of  this  whole  year  something 
blossoms  out  from  Weimar  for  the  Flying  Dutchman. 
But  for  travel  I  need  money ;  otherwise  I  shall  not  set 
out  at  all.  By  May  I  shall  be  in  the  thick  of  my  poem  : 
already  I  am  making  my  sketches. — 

I  wrote  to  you  about  a  painting  animal  who  wanted 
to  catch  me :  it  is  done.  The  first  portrait  was  bad, 
because  the  idiot  did  not  understand  me.  Then 
Herwegh  came  to  the  sittings,  and  under  his  minutest 
guidance — with  his  intelligent  and  practised  eye — a 


TO    UHLIG.  219 

really  good  portrait  has  been  obtained,  which  will  soon 
appear  here;  and  yesterday  I  offered  it  to  Breitkopf 
and  Hartel  for  publication.  But  it's  no  good  for 
Brendel.  And  what  should  he  want  me  for  ?  Arrange 
your  present  portrait  business  according  to  this  news. 

Ernst  is  fiddling  about  in  the  neighbourhood. — 

Why,  in  the  name  of  fortune,  do  you  want  informa- 
tion about  my  music-making  in  Zurich  ?  Here  the 
order  of  the  day  is  "  be  present,"  not  write  and  read 
about  it.  But  why,  then,  does  not  Brendel  publish'the 
special  notice  which  I  sent  to  him  about  my  position 
here  ?  I  gave  it  to  him  with  a  definite  purpose. — 

Is  your  eldest  youngster  well  again  ?  There  is 
always  something  the  matter  with  children  !  You  must 
have  become  beautifully  lean  again  :  soon  you  might 
wear  apostles'  costume  again,  and  flit  about  with  me  at 
midday  amid  flowers  by  the  waterside  ! 

Kind  greetings  at  home.  Keep  safe  and  sound,  and 
farewell. 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  April  gt/t,  '52. 

62. 
DEAR  FRIEND, 

I  can  only  write  to  you  to-day  if  I  make  up  my 
mind  to  be  brief.  I  am  so  fearfully  overwrought  and 
unnerved  that  the  least  bit  of  writing  is  a  torture  to  me. 
Yesterday,  the  2nd  May,  we  had  the  last  performance 
of  the  Dutchman.  Within  a  week  it  was  the  fourth  of 
the  series,  all  given  at  considerably  raised  prices  (first 
tier,  five  francs),  and  always  to  crowded  houses.  In  this 


22O  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

you  have  the  full  expression  of  the  success.  The  director 
much  regretted  that  he  had  to  go  off  to  Geneva  to- 
morrow, because  he  saw  that  he  could  now  have  given 
the  opera  yet  another  four  times.  I  really  think  it  an 
unheard-of  thing  to  have  been  able  to  give  such  an 
opera  every  second  day  to  so  small  a  public  with 
success.  The  performances,  from  the  second  onward, 
when  the  barytone  had  recovered  his  voice,  were  ex- 
cellent ;  but  naturally  only  from  the  "  opera  "  point  of 
view.  The  first  performance  showed  me  clearly  that  I 
must  give  up  all  illusions  about  the  "  drama,"  and  be 
content  to  have  made  the  most  of  the  "  opera "  stuff 
which  still  clings  to  the  Dutchman.  So  the  result 
really  left  me  quite  indifferent,  and  my  inmost  feelings 
of  my  relation  to  our  theatre  and  public  have  not  been 
thereby  changed  in  the  least.  But  that  the  Dutchman 
proved  effective  even  as  "  opera  "  I  can  now  understand, 
and  I  willingly  acknowledge  that  the  impression  made 
upon  my  public  was  unusual,  deep,  and  serious.  The 
women  naturally  took  the  lead  again :  after  the  third 
performance  they  crowned  me  with  laurel  and  smothered 
me  in  flowers.  The  opera  will  certainly  please  in 
Weimar  also. 

Kummer  came  yesterday  to  Zurich  for  the  fourth 
performance.  He  brought  me  your  bulky  letter,  for 
which  many  thanks.  I  cannot  possibly,  as  I  said, 
answer  it  in  detail  to-day.  Only  one  thing  I  must 
mention.  Let  no  one  judge  of  any  mode  of  action 
unless  he  thoroughly  knows  all  its  bearings.  Incom- 
prehensible as  my  "lavishness"  towards  the  theatre- 
director  here  may  seem,  it  will  be  easily  comprehensible 
to  any  one  who  knows  exactly  the  whole  situation 


TO    UHLIG.  221 

which  prompted  my  mode  of  action,  with  all  its  acces- 
sory circumstances  and  characteristic  moods.  He  would 
understand  how  I  came  to  force  upon  the  theatre- 
director  the  payment  for  deficient  receipts,  when  he 
would  by  no  means  accept  the  sacrifice  from  me,  but, 
on  the  other  hand,  was  not  to  be  induced  to  give  up 
a  performance.  In  such  a  case  I  might  certainly 
have  done  one  thing,  viz.,  give  up  everything,  and 
withdraw  entirely.  As,  the  train  of  circumstances  once 
started,  my  sole  concern  was  to  give  the  performance, 
and  properly,  so  I  must  needs  feel  that  it  was  expedient 
to  coax  round  the  director  into  accepting  that  arrange- 
ment :  for  it  was  a  question  by  no  means  of  him 
personally,  but  of  the  success  of  the  undertaking. 
Besides,  Lowe  had  engaged  musicians— at  cheap  prices ; 
but  they  did  not  arrive,  and  wrote  to  excuse  themselves. 
He  had  done  his  duty,  I  could  demand  nothing  further 
of  him,  and  he  told  me  I  must  make  shift.  I,  on  the 
contrary,  with  a  single  eye  to  success,  did  not  make 
shift,  but  engaged  a  musical  director  from  Aarau  as 
first  violin,  whom  I  certainly  had  to  pay  money 
for  lessons  lost  during  ten  days.  In  the  same  way 
I  was  obliged  to  arrange  with  a  musical  director 
from  Burgdorf,  and  with  a  'cellist,  Bohm,  from 
Donau-Eschingen.  Could  I  have  even  asked  the 
director  about  the  matter  ?  Would  he  not  have 
thought  I  was  mad  ?  Were  not  all  artistic  matters 
connected  with  the  undertaking  my  business  alone,  and, 
if  I  gave  this  up,  should  I  not  have  had  to  give  up  the 
whole  ?  Enough ! 

Jt  is  most  humiliating  for  me  to  have  to  give  these 
explanations.     But  how   can   it   come  into    any  one's 


222  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

mind  to  see  in  this  a  false  "  generosity  "  on  my  part  ? 
Do  you  think  I  boast  to  any  one  here,  and  that  I  make 
myself  out  a  man  of  means  ?  My  friends  know  exactly 
how  matters  stand  with  me,  and  to  any  stranger  I,  at 
least,  make  it  quite  clear. 

But,  kind  greetings  to  R.'s  from  me.  1  certainly 
won't  fly  any  more  Dutchmen. 

Ah !  ah  !  ah  !  what  a  wretch  I  must  seem  to  myself ! 

In  the  next  few  days  I  will  answer  you  about  every- 
thing in  arrears,  and  will  send  you  what  you  want ; 
I  cannot  pack  to-day. 

Farewell,  dearest  and  best  friend.  Heartfelt  thanks 
for  your  faithfulness. 

Your 

R.  W. 
ZURICH,  May  yd,  '52. 

Do  not  forget  to  let  me  know  your  new  address.  To 
explain  my  continued  conduct  towards  the  director,  I 
should  have,  I  see,  to  tell  you  much  more  yet,  which 
I  hope  you  will  let  me  off.  I  need  only  add — he  is 
a  few  ! 

63. 
DEAR  UHLIG, 

iSchindelmeisser  wrote  to  me  from  Wiesbaden 
about  the  score  of  Tannhduser :  I  have  granted  it  him 
conditionally,  and  referred  him  to  you  about  the  copy 
itself.  If  he  asks  for  it,  send  it  to  him.  I  am  not 
to  have  an  honorarium,  but  a  tantieme  (royalty),  for 
which,  of  course,  I  do  not  much  care — this  com- 
munication is  the  reason  why  I  shall  again  be  brief. 


TO    UHLIG.  223 

Nevertheless  the  packet  shall  be  sent  off  to  you  on  this 
occasion.  I  cannot  pick  up  again :  my  nerves  are 
much  relaxed,  and  I  suffer  from  sleeplessness. 

Only  once  again  in  my  life  can  I  sacrifice  myself  by 
preparing  another  performance ;  if  I  ever  get  so  far,  it 
will  be  with — my  Siegfried.  Till  then  I  must  keep 
away  altogether  from  undertakings  of  the  sort :  and 
after  Siegfried  I  shall  stop.  Adieu,  Capellmeister  !  ! — 

With  regard  to  the  literary  role  which  I  have  played 
during  the  last  years,  it  begins  to  annoy  me  very  much. 
I  can  only  look  back  to  it  with  pleasure  in  so  far  as 
I  feel  that  by  its  means  I  have  become  quite  clear  in 
my  own  mind.  But  when  I  perceive  the  effect  which 
I  have  produced  on  the  outside  world  by  my  writings, 
I  can  only  feel  in  a  state  of  revolt  and  altogether  out  of 
humour.  Tell  me,  among  all  the  voices  which  have 
made  themselves  heard  in  this  question,  is  there  one 
man  of  whom  one  could  say  that  he  is  in  any  way 
capable  of  comprehending  what  the  matter  treated 
really  is  ?  My  opinion  of  the  world  of  art  and  literature 
was  certainly  a  bad  one,  but  I  had  not  suspected  such 
boundless  wretchedness  !  People  have  become  so 
fearfully  stupid,  that  they  literally— can  no  longer 
read :  am  I  to  begin  now  to  give  them  first  lessons  in 
reading  ? — 

So  far  as  concerns  the  trouble  you  have  taken  in  this 
direction  for  my  sake,  I  beg  of  you — at  least  do  not 
excite  yourself:  if  you  happen  to  write,  make  jokes, 
but  never  get  seriously  angry,  for  by  that  means  we 
shall  become  ridiculous.  In  your  articles,  which  I  have 
read,  I  find  that  you— in  this  sense — go  much  too  far:  for 
God's  sake  stop  your  attacks  upon  Riccius!  and  suchlike. 


224  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

I  can  only  expect  to  make  an  impression  on  young 
people,  because  they  in  general  are  capable  of  receiving 
new  impressions.  The  old  man  of  to-day  is  quite 
powerless  to  escape  from  routine  :  he  never  sees  what 
is  new,  for  which  he  has  deadened  all  his  receptive 
organs,  but  only  himself  and  what  is  old.  These 
people  must  be  abandoned  to  a  death  by  putrefaction  ; 
but  in  no  wise  must  one  fight  with  them. — 

Most  painful  of  all  are  those  new  enthusiasts  of 
mine,  a  la  W.  and  K.,  who  draw  a  scrupulous  line 
between  my  extravagances  and  the  sound  (i.e.,  old- 
conventional)  part  of  my  work ! — Why  should  I  want 
to  know  anything  about  them  ?  I  go  no  longer  to 
read  the  papers  at  the  Museum  :  the  next  thing  I  shall 
do  will  be  to  decline  the  musical  papers.  Send  me 
now  and  then  a  joke,  but  never  more  anything  serious  ! 
This  intellectual  diet  may  appear  very  egotistical  ;  but 
I  hope  I  have  won  a  right  to  be  egotistical,  in  that  I 
have  hitherto  made  myself  too  cheap  to  the  world. 

You  might  let  me  know  what  is  still  not  clear  to  you 
in  Part  III.  of  Oper  und  Drama:  is  it  perhaps  the 
great  importance  which  I  claim  for  alliterative  verse  ? 
In  my  opinion  this  is  the  only  point  about  which  I 
have  not  been  able  to  make  myself  quite  clear  to 
others,  because  this  indeed  is  only  possible  by  deed. 
I  still  owe  you  this,  but  I  hope  no  further,  theoretical 
explanation.  But  everything  else  must  surely  be  quite 
clear  to  you,  for  it  is  certainly  no  matter  of  speculation, 
but  in  reality  a  statement  of  the  nature  of  things  and 
of  their  proper  relation  one  to  another. — 

Well,  enough  of  this,  and,  let  me  hope,  for  ever.  I 
already  heartily  regret  my  curiosity  concerning  D. 


TO    UHLIG.  225 

I  see  before  me  the  whole  labyrinth  of  dialectics  into 
which  this  wretched  individual  would  drag  me  if  he 
should  really  arouse  in  me  the  passion  to  make  myself 
intelligible  to  him.  Hence  I  wish  he  would  not  write 
to  me,  because  I  know  that,  even  with  the  most 
strenuous  endeavours  on  my  part,  nothing  could  come 
of  it.  In  his  particular  line  D.  has  accomplished 
much,  and  that  has  made  him  obstinately  vain ;  but 
with  such  people  their  particular  line  must  be  wholly 
overthrown,  otherwise  one  cannot  count  upon  any 
success ;  and,  after  all,  this  success  can  only  be 
attained  by  downright  murder.  How  can  a  man 
who  is  all  method  understand  my  inbred  anarchy  ? 
D.  is  out  and  out  a  despot ;  he  wishes  to  make  people 
happy  by  compulsion  ;  in  him  there  is  no  trace  of  the 
revolutionist.  He  is  quite  wanting  in  naivete;  he  has 
not  a  drop  of  artist's  blood  in  him ;  but  is  he  really 
an  artist  ?  He  proves  how  much  a  clear  calculating 
compiler  without  a  spark  of  productivity  may  ac- 
complish :  the  new,  the  non-arbitrary,  must  ever 
remain  foreign  to  him :  he  has  no  heart  for  it — i.e.,  his 
heart  only  reaches  as  far  as  the  theatre-school,  and  for 
anything  further  he  helps  himself  with  the  "  imper- 
fection of  human  nature  here  below,  and  the  necessity 
for  a  richer  unfolding  of  the  same  in  some  star  or 
other."  He  is — strictly  speaking- — silly,  densely  dull, 
bourgeois,  cowardly — even  to  cruelty — or,  to  sum  up, 
fearfully  weak  !— 

My  intercourse  with  him — now  I  remember — was — 
one  long  martyrdom. — See  here,  for  instance: — he 
knows  that  he  might  expect  something  new  from 
me,  yet  up  to  now  he  has  not  gone  so  far  as  to  look  at 

15 


226  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

my  books  !  What  does  it  mean  ?  Will  he  read  for  any 
other  purpose  than  to  contradict  me  ?  Will  he  have  any- 
thing but  his  system  before  his  eyes,  and  not  perforce 
consider  everything  which  differs  from  it  a  want  of 
clearness  on  my  part  ?  But  what  have  I  to  do  with 
such  a  man,  and  what  sincerity  is  there  in  him  but  his 
cowardice  ? 

Well,  I  have  enough  here  to  do  with  men  of  this 
sort :  I  don't  want  any  Dresden-court-theatre-deists  in 
addition  ! — Away  with  him  ! — for  now  I  am  all  occupied 
with  my  poems  ! 

Unfortunately  the  Dutchman  affair  quite  discomposed 
me,  and  now  it  will  take  me  some  time  to  get  myself 
right.  I  still  hope  to  be  able  to  go  to  the  country 
again.  My  surroundings  are  ofttimes  very  painful  to 
me.  Alas  !  I  have  again  been  downright  wretched  ! — 
Herwegh,  the  only  one — was  silent  and  suffered  with 
me  :  what  else  could  he  do  ? — 

Now  as  regards  the  success  of  the  Dutchman  with 
the  public,  it  was  certainly  a  great  one.  X.  will  now 
rejoice  at  it :  the  pianoforte  scores  are  selling  like 
mad ;  only  the  day  before  yesterday  an  order  went  off 
for  six  complete  pianoforte  scores  and  a  lot  of  detached 
numbers,  potpourris,  etc. — 

I  now  come  to  business,  and  will  dispatch  it  in  a  few 
words. — 

With  regard  to  the  arrangement  of  the  score  of  the 
Dutchman  I  specially  commend  to  your  notice  the 
Dresden-theatre  score  which  I  am  now  sending  back  ; 
I  formerly  retouched  it  with  red  ink,  and  indeed  more 
thoroughly  than  in  my  last  version  :  the  brass  especially 
was  much  more  carefully  reduced.  Only  the  overture 


TO    UHLIG.  227 

— the  close — has  been  lately  handled  by  me  in  a  more 
thorough  manner.  Get  this  Dresden  score  from 
Fischer  as  soon  as  it  has  returned.  Concerning  the 
Leipzig  one  I  enclose  the  desired  certificate  ! 

Best  thanks  for  the  catalogue  of  my  music  :  however, 
I  shall  not  require  it  much !  Ten  years  ago,  when  I 
left  Paris  I  took  away  with  me  the  Huguenots  (quartet), 
Robert  le  Diable  (two  violins),  la  Reine  de  Chypre,  and 
Zanetta,  as  I  had  still  to  make  arrangements  from  them, 
for  which  part  of  the  money  had  already  been  paid  to 
me  in  advance  :  but,  as  this  work  became  impossible 
for  me  in  Germany,  I  afterwards  paid  back  the  money 
advanced,  but  kept  the  musical  examples,  which  may 
certainly  have  cruelly  troubled  your  imagination.  This 
much  to  calm  you  !— 

The  K.'s  found  it  too  uncomfortable  at  Elgg — and 
they  were  not  far  wrong- — and,  as  Hahn  himself 
advised,  they  are  now  at  Zurich,  where  they  are  looking 
for  a  dwelling,  and  find  it  so  pleasant  that — without 
any  persuasion  on  my  part — they  are  already  thinking 
of  settling  here. — 

So  much  for  to-day  !  If  I  should  have  forgotten 
anything  of  importance,  I  will  make  up  for  it  next 
time !  Farewell,  and  remain  good  to 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  May  '52. 

The  letter  from  R.'s  sister  has  deeply  moved  me, 
and  I  am  rejoiced  at  A.'s  energy  of  mind,  which, 
anyhow,  the  poor  girl  could  not  understand.  Why 
should  he  trouble  to  ask  for  my  three  opera  poems? 
Dr.  Schulze  might,  at  all  events,  tell  me — indirectly 


228  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

through  wife  or  sister — how  I  could  send  news  to  him. 
Best  greetings  to  Sch.— 

64. 
DEAREST  FRIEND, 

I  am  off  to  the  country  to-day,  and,  while  there, 
I  want  to  know  that  any  business  matters,  and  especially 
vexatious  ones,  are  settled,  so  that  at  last  I  may  again 
be  able  to  confer  with  my  muse. 

To-day  I  received  two  letters  from  you  at  once,  the 
one  with  the  money,  and  the  other  sent  afterwards. 

It  is  remarkable  that  the  K.'s  feel  themselves  irresistibly 
drawn  towards  Zurich.  We  have  found  them  a  summer 
abode  on  the  heights,  a  quarter  of  an  hour  from  the 
town.  The  situation  was  so  beautiful,  and  I  so  long 
for  scenery  and  fresh  air,  that  I  quickly  resolved  to 
lodge  in  the  same  inn.  So  from  to-day  we  and  the  K.'s 
live  on  the  same  plot  of  ground.  Merely  address  your 
letters  to  Zurich  ;  everything  is  arranged  with  the 
postman. 

I  do  riot  make  any  further  reply  to  your  letter 
to-day :  I  shall  have  the  opportunity  next  time. — 
Cheer  up,  that  your  health  is  once  more  improving  : 
accept  my  heartiest  congratulations. 

Farewell,  and  hold  me  in  kind  remembrance ! 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  May  izth,  '52. 

65- 

DEAR  THEODOR, 

I  have  waited  too  long  for  a  letter  from  you  not 
to  feel  bound  to  answer  immediately  on  receipt  of  the 
one  at  length  arrived,  though  this  answer  may  not 


TO    UHLIG.  229 

contain  all  which  meanwhile  has  accumulated  for  com- 
munication to  you. — First  of  all,  I  am  sincerely  sorry 
at  the  great  distress  which  your  children  cause  you : 
the  trouble  with  the  youngest,  after  what  you  have 
passed  through  with  the  elder  one,  is  truly  affecting. 
Yes,  if  I  knew  this  kind  of  trouble,  I  should  be  quite 
another  sort  of  person !  I  hope  Siegfried  is  now  going 
on  more  favourably  :  at  least,  I  gather  this  from  the 
close  of  your  letter — would  my  good  wishes  could 
help  !- 

We  are  alone  in  the  country  here  with  Julia ;  K.  is 
with  Hahn,  where  he  must  patiently  remain.  Hahn 
considers  his  case  a  very  bad  one.  Julia  seems  to 
have  taken  a  great  fancy  to  me :  anyhow,  she  does  all 
I  tell  her. 

I  have  commenced  my  cure  in  an  orderly  manner : 
it  consists,  besides  dieting — from  which  a  glass  of  good 
wine  from  time  to  time  is  not  excluded — of  a  cold  bath 
in  the  morning  and  a  tepid  one  (22  degrees),  lasting 
a  quarter  of  an  hour,  of  an  evening.  This  has  a  soothing 
and  gently  bracing  effect  on  me.  Above  all,  the  open 
air,  in  which  I  roam  about  two  or  three  hours  of  a 
morning  before  I  settle  to  work,  does  me  a  world  of 
good.  I  do  not  work  for  more  than  two  hours  at  a 
stretch ;  formerly  by  working  for  five  or  six  hours  I 
greatly  overtaxed  my  nerves. — Now  I  have  finished  the 
complete  sketch  of  the  Walkure  (I):  to-morrow  I  attack 
the  verses.  I  am  more  struck  than  ever  with  the  broad 
grandeur  and  beauty  of  my  subject-matter :  my  whole 
manner  of  viewing  the  world  has  found  in  it  its  fullest 
artistic  expression.  How  I  wish  you  were  here,  that 
I  might  oftener  impart  things  to  you  which  I  must  now 


2$0  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

save  up  until  I  can  place  the  whole  complete  before  you. 
After  this  work  I  shall  write  no  more  poetry !  Nothing 
higher  and  more  complete  can  my  powers  produce. 
Once  the  verses  finished,  I  shall  from  that  moment 
become  entirely  musician  again,  only — at  some  future 
time — to  become  conductor.  I  almost  hope  that  I 
may  win — or  preserve  the  life  to  do  it  !— 

I  had  much  to  tell  you,  suggested  by  reading  articles 
about  myself;  perhaps  I'll  do  it  later  on.  On  lately 
reading  over  Julius  Schaffer's  first  two  articles  about 
myself  in  the  TV.  B.  M.  Z.,  I  much  regretted  that  the 
man  had  not  yet  read  my  Vorwort.  What,  for  example, 
he  says  about  alliterative  verse  (because  he  does  not  find 
a  trace  of  it  in  Lohengrin)  would  then  have  been  impos- 
sible. What  he  says  about  the  "  dissolution  of  the 
individuality  of  keys"  might  lead  to  an  instructive  article. 
I  have  shown  in  the  third  volume  of  Oper  und  Drama 
that  harmony  only  becomes  something  real  (not  merely 
an  abstraction)  in  the  polyphonic  symphony — i.e.,  in  the 
orchestra — and  thus  the  imaginary  individuality  of  keys 
(Hitzschold  must  excuse)  passes  over  to  the  real 
individuality  of  instruments,  of  their  manifold  colouring 
and  finally  of  the  mode  of  execution.  So,  by  clinging 
to  the  "individuality"  of  keys,  one  clings  to  a  chimera, 
which  anyhow  formerly  became  as  much  of  a  dogma 
with  us  as  the  good  God  Himself.  On  the  contrary, 
the  keys,  like  the  tones  in  general,  only  become  charac- 
teristic in  the  instruments,  and,  finally,  in  the  human 
voice  with  words.  Thus,  for  example,  the  characteristic 
individuality  of  a  key  (E  major  or  E  flat  major)  is  very 
prominent  in  a  violin  or  a  wind  instrument,  and  it  is, 
therefore,  a  piece  of  slip-shod  criticism  to  consider  the 


TO    UHLIG.  231 

key  by  itself,  and  the  instruments  not  at  all,  or  else  also 
by  themselves.  The  instrumental  musicians  of  the 
past  century  as  yet  knew  this  not :  they  worked  from 
the  harmonic  dogma ;  but  let  one  only  compare  their 
instrumentation  with  Beethoven's  or  with  mine. — Who- 
ever in  judging  my  music  divides  the  harmony  from  the 
instrumentation  does  me  as  much  injustice  as  he  who 
divides  my  music  from  my  poetry,  my  song  from  the 
words! — However,  in  all  such  things  I  was  wrong  to 
have  made  known  my  theoretical  views  too  early ; 
I  am  still  owing  the  real  matter,  the  work  of  art,  which 
was  certainly  ripe  in  me  before  the  theory.  Apropos  ! 
do  protest  against  the  statement  that  I  am  working  at 
an  "  art  work  of  the  future ; "  bid  the  silly  folk  learn 
to  read  before  the}'  write  ! — 

In  regard  to  Reissiger's  oratorio  you  were  quite 
wrong  to  send  me  explanations  :  your  word  is  sufficient, 
and  I  am  firmly  convinced  that  the  oratorio  is  of  such 
a  nature  that  you  could  praise  it.  Already  your  praise 
of  a  sonata  of  R.'s  induced  me — a  most  exceptional 
thing — to  go  through  that  composition  ;  so  I  believe 
you. — 

As  a  rule,  do  not  take  it  amiss,  if  I  do  not  always  say 
something  about  your  articles  :  they  always  give  me 
great  pleasure.  But  I  surely  need  not  tell  you  that  I  do 
not  think  much  of  the  rest  of  the  paper  :  I  also  believe 
you  that  it  cannot  be  otherwise.  Yet  I  cannot  see  why 
not  one  of  the  important  points  which  I  have  started 
should  be  discussed,  instead  of  continual  criticisms  of 
Trios  and  Etudes.  I  was  by  no  means  displeased  with 
the  notice  of  Cellini :  on  the  contrary,  it  was  very  good. 
But  instead  of  piano  rubbish — at  any  rate,  just  now, 


232  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

at  the  turning  point  of  the  journal — surely  something 
different  might  find  a  place  !  How  can  a  man — like 
Herwegh,  for  instance — think  of  expressing  his  thoughts 
between  these  "  Ops.  6  and  7  "  ?  There  is  so  much 
purely  commercial  music  that  no  thought  can  be  taken 
of  us.  Lately  I  received  the  poem  of  the  Pilgrimage  of 
the  Rose.  Why  does  it  occur  to  no  one  to  grasp  by 
the  root  a  work  like  that  of  Schumann's — i.e.,  above  all 
to  point  out  the  fearful  wretchedness  of  the  poem,  and 
to  ask  what  sort  of  a  composer  he  must  be  who  could 
feel  inspired  by  such  a  piece  of  patchwork  to  write  an 
important  work,  and  what  such  music  could  possibly 
contain  ? — The  same  sort  of  thing  should  have  been 
done  with  the  poems  for  the  prize  song  offered  last 
year  by  the  Cologne  people.  But  enough  of  this  ! — 

Liszt  conducts  Tannhauser  to-day  (the  3ist),  in 
presence  of  the  Empress  of  Russia  !  By  no  means 
bad  !  The  Moritz  wishes  also  to  take  Tannhauser  to 
Breslau. — Well !  now  I  have  pretty  well  done,  and  can 
say  farewell  for  to-day !  To  that  I  join  hearty  wishes 
for  the  welfare  of  my  little  god-child  :  may  they  be  of 
help  ! — But  to  see  you  right  soon  again  is  what  I  most 
long  for  !  I  always  fear,  most  excellent  young  man, 
that  you  will  fade  away  from  me;  certainly  not  in  spirit, 
but  in  body  !  What  a  wretched  lot  is  yours,  and  what 
a  thing  it  is  to  bear  it  as  you  do !  Yet  it  must  some 
day  come  to  a  stop  even  with  you  ! — Farewell,  and 
strengthen  yourself  properly  in  the  fresh  air  !  Kind 
greetings  to  your  wife. 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  May  ^ist,  '52. 


TO    UHLIG.  233 

Yesterday  I  wrote  to  "  theatre-master  "  Hanel.  Get 
to  know  the  contents  of  the  letter ;  they  will  interest 
you,  and  perhaps  you  could  be  of  assistance  to  me 
in  the  matter  ! 

I  have  found  the  sheet  of  Tannhauser  in  Fischer's 
hand — and  you  shall  have  it  shortly. 

66. 
DEAREST  FRIEND, 

Accept  from  us  all  the  heartiest  congratulations 
on  your  child's  recovery.  Your  letter  reached  me  while 
in  the  company  of  the  ladies,  who,  as  well  as  myself,  at 
once  anticipated  that  it  could  only  be  about  your  child, 
as  I  had  already  informed  them  of  its  severe  illness. 
We  shared  your  cruel  anxiety,  and  now  at  last  felt  with 
you  unspeakable  joy  at  the  recovery.  If  anything  can 
increase  your  joy,  may  it  be  the  assurance  of  our 
sincere  sympathy  for  all  that  you  have  lately  gone 
through. 

Heartiest  greetings  to  wife  and  child  from  your 

R.  W. 

ZURICH,  June  yd,  '52. 

67. 

Uhlig  !  Uhlig!  you  are  a  Hergottstausendsakra- 
menter  !  You  have  again  kept  me  waiting  a  pretty  time 
for  a  letter.  This  time  I  also  have  not  been  so  quick 
with  an  answer,  but  have  first  finished  my  Walkiire. 
This  was  yesterday,  after  a  month's  work.  If  you  were 
here  I  should  read  you  the  piece  to-day ;  but  it  will  be 
some  time  before  I  have  a  copy  to  spare,  for  I  am  again  in 


234  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

a  very  weak  state.  I  work  indeed  in  too  impetuous 
a  manner !  Now,  indeed,  when  the  whole  of  the  big 
poem  is  on  the  point  of  completion,  I  begin  to  ask 
myself  whether  I  ought  not  to  wish  that  my  friends 
should  become  acquainted  with  it  sooner  than  they 
would  if  I  first  worked  out  all  the  music.  I  feel  as  if  I 
could  not  bear  so  long  to  know  that  the  poem  had  not 
been  communicated  to  them.  I  cannot  possibly  give  it 
yet  to  the  printers.  It  would  seem  to  be  a  sin  against 
myself  now  to  put  into  the  desecrating  hands  of  our 
mud-throwing  critics  that  which,  in  fact,  is  only  half- 
finished  so  long  as  the  composition  of  the  music  is 
incomplete.  It  is  something  different  with  my  true 
friends,  who,  by  their  sympathy,  can  only  urge  me  on 
and  assist  me  while  I  am  at  work.  I  have,  therefore, 
thought  of  having  twenty-five  to  thirty  copies  of  the 
whole  poem  made  in  fac-simile  reprint,  so  as  to  place 
them,  after  careful  review,  before  my  friends.  Unfor- 
tunately, there  is  this  inconvenience,  that  I,  poor  wretch, 
should  have  to  play  the  "generous" — for  how  could  I 
allow  these  copies  to  be  paid  for?  It  could  only  be 
thought  of  if  I  were  approached  by  a  number  of  my 
friends,  who  begged  me  to  lend  them  my  manuscript 
for  the  purpose  of  having  copies  made,  and  who  had 
subscribed  among  themselves  to  defray  the  printing 
expenses.  Everything  is  exceptional  with  an  unlucky 
bungler  such  as  I  am. 

To-morrow  week  I  must  go  to  Bale  for  the  choral 
festival  of  the  Helvetic  confederacy,  at  which  I  have 
been  appointed  umpire  !  Unfortunately  they  got  round 
me  here  just  as  I  was  on  the  point  of  refusing  the 
invitation.  On  my  return  I  shall  set  out  about  the 


TO    UHLIG.  235 

middle  of  July  on  a  real  Alpine  tour — i.e.,  I  shall  visit 
the  Bernese  Oberland,  go  over  the  Gries  glacier  down 
a  long,  magnificent  valley  as  far  as  Domo  d'Ossola 
(Sardinia),  to  the  Lago  Maggiore,  ascend  the  Lago  as 
far  as  Locarno,  from  there  to  Lugano  (all  in  the  Tessin 
canton),  where  I  shall  probably  stop,  for  it  must  be 
heavenly.  Possibly  I  may  finish  the  verses  of  the 
grand  prologue  to  my  three  dramas.  This  all  depends 
upon  the  state  of  my  purse.  I  have  not  a  farthing  as 
yet,  and  I  know  of  no  other  way  to  help  myself  than  to 
write  to  Liszt  to  get  the  Weimar  honorarium  for  the 
Flying  Dutchman  in  advance.  I  am  in  daily  expectation 
of  an  answer  from  him.  Do  you  think  a  single  creature 
has  given  me  news  of  the  Ballenstadt  musical  festival  ? 
The  beggarly  role  which  I  play  with  regard  to  the  rising 
generation  begins  to  annoy  me. 

I  shall  not  have  the  Nibelungen  work  ready  before 
the  autumn  (September,  October).  I  must  carefully 
retouch  the  two  Siegfrieds,  especially  in  everything 
which  concerns  the  myth  of  the  gods,  for  this  has  now 
assumed  a  much  more  precise  and  imposing  aspect.  I 
rejoice  greatly  at  the  thought  of  the  music. 

Do  you  know  anything  about  the  articles  of  Fc'tis 
pere  in  the  Gazette  Musicale  about  me  ?  I  was  told 
about  them  here,  and  found  at  the  Museum  already 
three  leading  articles,  "  Richard  Wagner,"  etc.,  etc., 
with,  as  it  seems,  plenty  more  to  follow.  In  any  case 

you  must  try  and  get  them  to  read.     M is  at 

last  bestirring  himself:  he  fears  the  propagation  of  my 
opinions  in  Paris.  What  ait  ass!  The  caricature  of 
myself  with  which  Fc'tis  regales  the  French  is  complete. 
He  gives  quotations  (in  the  meanest  manner)  from  my 


236  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Vorwort,  and,  with  great  consistency,  represents  me  as 
attributing  the  constant  failure  of  my  operas  not  to  any 
fault  of  my  own,  but  to  the  present  condition  of  things  ; 
and  says  that  thafs  the  reason  I  am  a  revolutionist  A 
"small  protest "  against  some  of  the  most  reckless  lies 
would  not  be  amiss  just  now.  He  claims  "  exact  in- 
formation," and  asserts,  for  example,  that  my  Tannhauser 
in  Dresden  had  by  the  third  performance  become  such 
a  failure  that  it  could  never  by  any  possibility  be  revived. 
And  so  on.  In  this  matter  R.  (whom  F  visited  in 
Dresden  several  years  ago)  played  him  a  nice  hoax  ;  but 
I  fear  my  own  information  (in  the  Vorworf)  may  likewise 
have  misled  dullards,  as  I  express  dissatisfaction  with 
the  success  of  my  operas.  By  that  I  naturally  do  not 
mean  outward  success  (for  should  I  have  demanded 
more  than  to  be  called  before  the  curtain  at  every  per- 
formance of  Tannhauser  ?  )  but  merely  the  character  of 
the  success,  which  made  me  see  that  the  essential  in.  my 
work  .had  not  been  grasped,  or  not  grasped  in  so  con- 
vincing a  manner  as  must  have  effectively  shown  itself 
in  order  thoroughly  to  satisfy  me  from  the  one  true 
and  decisive  point  of  view.  It  was  just  the  same  here 
lately  with  the  Flying  Dutchman.  No  one  who  only 
looked  to  the  outward  result  understood  my  deep  dis- 
satisfaction, and  understood,  least  .of  all,  that  this 
especially  concerned  the  character  of  the  performance, 
which  seemed  to  all  so  excellent,  and,  indeed,  had 
brought  about  the  success  (of  the  "  opera  "). 

This  last  point  reminds  me  to  enclose  you  the  accom- 
panying documents  in  connection  with  the  newspaper 
war  concerning  the  Ffying  Dutchman,  of  which  you 
know  something.  The  rejoinder  of  the  Ztiricher  was 


TO    UHLIG.  237 

followed  by  a  bitter,  vulgar,  insulting  answer,  which  I 
did  not  condescend  to  notice,  and  which,  besides,  was 
only  directed  against  my  "  panegyrists,"  while  pre- 
serving a  demure  and  respectful  demeanour  toward 
myself.  The  old  trick  ! 

The  National  newspaper  also  is  said  to  be  handling 
me  roughly  at  the  present  moment.  I  do  not  read  it, 
because,  though  I  should  not  intend  to  reply  (and  I 
certainly  will  not  any  more),  yet  what  is  written  runs 
in  my  head  for  several  days,  and  that  might  be  occupied 
with  something  better.  I  don't  in  any  way  wish  to 
represent  myself  as  more  apathetic  than  I  am,  and 
such  experiences  always  make  me  regret  that  I  ever 
put  pen  to.  paper. 

I  thank  you  much  for  your  excellent  gathering  of 
literary  fruit ;  also  zur  Kritik  des  Liedes  pleased  me 
uncommonly.  It  was,  I  freely  confess,  an  oasis  in  the 
desert  to  me.  It  may  well  be  that  your  paper  should 
best  maintain  itself  by  criticisms  of  all  sorts,  and  that, 
to  satisfy  the  demands  of  your  public,  you  must  notice 
everything  pell-mell ;  and  thus  not  only  have  to  devote 
your  attention  to  what  is  unimportant,  but  are  forced 
to  present  its  "good  sides."  Only  give  up  all  these 
attempts  to  make  of  the  paper  something  different  from 
what  it  was.  I  do  not  complain  that  it  remains  what 
it  is,  but  that  Brendel  allowed  my  letter  to  him  to  be 
printed  in  his  paper.  He  ought  to  have  had  the  courage 
to  decline  its  acceptance  :  that,  at  any  rate,  would  have 
been  consistent.  It  grieves  me  much,  however,  to  have 
to  tell  you  that  the  Musikalische  Kl adder atatsch  makes 
me  most  unhappy.  Nothing  is  more  horrid  than  a 
"  rubric  "  for  jokes.  A  good  joke  that  comes  naturally 


238  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

is  a  capital  thing,  and  carries  more  weight  than  many 
a  serious  remark.  But  a  weekly  register  of  wit,  the 
heading  of  which  calls  out  in  advance  to  the  reader, 
"  Now  laugh  !  "  at  once  locks  fast  my  laughter-muscles, 
and  so  it  is  with  every  man  of  the  least  taste.  This 
Musikalische  Kladderatatsch  is  a  mistake,  and  I  tell  you 
this  honestly,  even  though  you  should  have  been  the 
cause  of  it.  The  very  form  is  trivial,  because  lacking 
in  originality ;  the  contents  are,  for  the  most  part,  forced, 
devoid  of  humour ;  and,  as  I  have  said,  inevitably  so, 
since  they  appear  in  this  ready-made  form.  I've  had 
my  say :  I  heartily  wish  that  you  may  not  be  so 
deeply  concerned  in  it  as  to  feel  really  hurt  by  my 
words. 

E.  D.  has  also  written  to  me :  now  I'm  in  for  it. 
Fresh  trouble  !  What  shall  I  do  with  the  man  ?  To 
my  horror  I  discover  that  the  man  is  far  more  shallow 
and  superficial  than  I  had  imagined.  He  can  only  have 
read  the  first  part  of  my  Oper  und  Drama,  for  nearly 
his  whole  letter  is  a  defence  of  music  against  my 
"  attacks  "  on  it  in  this  first  part. 

E.  D.  defends  music  against  me.  Is  that  not  delicious  ? 
He  appeals  to  "  harmonies  of  the  spheres,"  and  "  groan- 
ings  and  sighings  of  the  soul ! "  Well,  I  have  got  a 
pretty  millstone  hung  about  my  neck  ;  for  with  all  his 
stupidity  this  man,  as  I  perceive,  has  something  re- 
spectable and  true-hearted  about  him,  and  one  cannot 
but  regret  that  one  has  to  kick  him  so  straight  out. 
Well,  I  will  write  to  him ;  say  that  to  him  with  my 
provisional  greetings.  Perhaps  at  the  Lugano  lake  I 
shall  be  in  the  mood  for  a  letter  to  him. 

Greetings,  too,  to  Fischer.     I  received  a  letter  from 


TO    UHLIG.  239 

him  yesterday.  As  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  answer 
him  to-day,  I  beg  you  to  set  right  something  mentioned 
by  him  in  his  letter.  I  wrote  to  Hahnel  about  some 
lithographic  sheets  to  be  prepared  for  the  Tannhduser 
decorations.  Through  Fischer  he  replies  :  "  The  litho- 
grapher asks  twelve  thalers  for  every  sheet ;  so  three 
sheets  would  cost  thirty-six  thalers.  For  that  I  should 
receive  nine  impressions  from  each  sheet  (  ?  ),  but  each 
"single"  sheet  would  cost  '  three  thalers'  (  ?)  ;  so  for 
a  theatre  the  designs  would  be  '  nine  thalers.' " 

Now,  with  the  best  will  in  the  world,  I  cannot  clearly 
make  out  what  is  meant.  If  I  pay  thirty-six  thalers  for 
the  whole  (why  exactly  nine  impressions  ?  ),  will  each 
theatre  still  have  nine  thalers  to  pay  for  a  copy  of  the 
three  sheets  ? 

Get  an  explanation  of  this  for  me,  so  that  I  can  soon 
decide ;  for  I  shall  certainly  be  pleased  if  can  send  the 
decoration-sketches  to  the  theatres.  As  for  the  rest, 
with  regard  to  the  spread  of  Tannhduser,  I  have  every- 
thing to  expect.  For  the  moment  I  only  know  of 
Wiesbaden.  From  Breslau  an  inquiry  was  addressed 
to  Moritz  ;  from  Leipzig  came  the  assurance  that  the 
director  intended  shortly  to  give  the  opera  "  in  the  most 
complete  manner ; "  from  Munich  I  have  no  news.' 
Lately,  when — amid  storm  and  rain — I  had  gone  off 
into  the  woods,  Mantius,  from  Berlin  (the  present  opera 
manager),  came  to  pay  me  a  visit,  and  of  course  did  not 
find  me.  He  assured  my  wife,  however,  that  the  Berlin 
management  had  long  been  thinking  of  Tannhduser, 
only  had  not  been  able  to  find  a  suitable  tenor.  Now 
they  thought  they  had  got  him  in  Formes,  and  so  a 
speedy  performance  stood  in  prospect  for  Berlin. 


240       RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS. 

From  Frankfort  I  have  no  news.  G.  Schmidt  has  not 
answered. 

I  am  very  glad  that  you  are  now  living  in  "  Satannes- 
gasse"  (Dresden  dialect).  You  are  in  a  nice  quarter  of 
the  town  there:  "a  young  lamb  white  as  snow,"  etc. 
Have  not  your  children  got  raven-black  hair  ?  And 
Siegfried  ?  Good  heavens !  if  you  knew  what  I  have 
now  planned  in  my  mind  for  him.  How  delighted  he 
will  be  one  day  when  he  sees  what  has  been  made  of 
him.  I  want  to  see  his  look  of  surprise. 

Let  me  know  whether  you  have  any  "  increase  " — I 
mean  from  Liittichan.  I  hear  the  favours  of  his  lord- 
ship have  run  riot  amongst  you  :  Lipinski,  a  diamond 
ring  ;  R.,  two  hundred  thalers  increase  of  salary  ;  gold 
and  silver  medals  to  the  members  of  the  band.  Ah  ! 
who  would  not  wish  to  be  there  ?  Have  you  been 
silvered,  gilded,  or — good-for-nothing'd  ?  With  your 
new  dignity  the  last  would  be  unbecoming  treatment. 
Honour  to  whom  honour  is  due  ! 

R. — so  Fischer  writes  to  me — has  expressed  himself 
with  all  possible  enthusiasm  about  Oper  und  Drama. 
The  good  fellow  !  I  certainly  owe  that  to  your  notice 
of  his  oratorio. — 

Well,  enough  of  this  scribbling !  I  could  say  with 
T.  U.,  "  the  paper  comes  to  an  end."  I  am,  on  the 
whole,  in  a  good  humour  to-day,  for  when  I  have 
finished  such  a  work  as  the  Walkure  I  always  feel  as 
if  I  had  sweated  some  fearful  anxiety  out  of  my  body — 
an  anxiety  that  constantly  increases  as  the  work  is 
drawing  to  a  close ;  a  kind  of  fear  lest  I  might  spoil 
something.  I  write  my  signature,  with  the  date 
underneath,  in  as  much  haste  as  if  the  devil  was 


TO    UHLTG.  241 

standing  behind  me,  and  wished  to  prevent  me  from 
finishing. 

Next  week  we  go  back  into  the  town.  We  had  bad 
weather  all  through  June.  My  wife  sends  cordial 
greetings.  Proper  greetings  to  yours  from  me.  Adieu  ! 

Some  men  are  not  even  sheep's  heads,  but  sheep 
without  heads  (Lin.  ii.  13). 

ZURICH,  July  2nd,  '52. 

68. 
DEAR  FRIEND, 

A  line  or  two  before  my  departure,  which  takes 
place  to-morrow.  The  director  of  the  Leipzig  theatre 
has  just  been  to  see  me.  The  matter  is  arranged. 
Send  him  at  once  a  score  and  a  book  of  words  (with 
the  remark  that  the  copies  for  the  booking  office  are  to 
be  procured  through  X. — at  a  discount).  Further,  beg 
Hahnel  in  my  name  to  send  back  at  once  the  designs 
of  the  decorations,  which  he  has  now  at  Wiesbaden, 
and  then  to  lend  them  to  Wirsing  in  the  same  way  as 
to  Schindelmeisser.  Then  beg  Heine,  who  has  now 
returned  to  Dresden,  to  lend  his  costume-sketches 
likewise  to  Wirsing.  He  will  arrange  everything  for 
his  theatre  according  to  these  patterns.  Tharik  Heine 
for  his  letter;  I  will  try  and  write  to  him  on  my- 
journey  (?). 

I  have  written  to  Basle,  to  decline  :  I  can  no  longer 
endure  such  a  fuss.  Your  letters  will  be  sent  on  to 
me,  so  continue  to  write  without  worrying  yourself. 
Still  you  might  address  your  next  letter  to  Lugano, 
Canton  Tessin,  poste  restante. 

Farewell.  Your 

July  9//i,  '52.  R.    W. 

16 


242  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

69. 

DEAREST  FELLOW, 

Your  little  letter  reached  me  yesterday,  just  as 
I  had  come  down  from  the  Bernese  highlands. 

A  piece  of  business  information  appears  important 
to  me,  and  little  as  it  suits  my  present  surrounding 
and  frame  of  mind,  yet  I  will  give  it  to  you  at  once ! 

The  lithographing  of  the  decorations  we  will  leave 
alone  for  the  present,  and,  instead,  each  theatre  must 
purchase  the  sketches  for  nine  thalers.  I  have  written 
in  this  sense  to  Schmidt  at  Frankfort :  he  must,  apply 
to  you,  and  you  must  be  good  enough  to  order  the 
designs  through  Hahnel  (to  whom  my  cordial  greet- 
ings). The  designer  could,  in  order  to  avoid  delay, 
always  hold  in  readiness  one  or  two  copies. 

About  a  second  score  to  Schmidt  I  know  nothing : 
this  is  probably  one  procured  formerly  through  the 
bookshop. 

I  have  continued  to  dilly-dally  about  the  few  sheets 
for  Tannhauser:  do  not  be  angry  about  it;  when  I 
return  I  will  send  them  on. 

I  have  now  been  travelling  for  six  days :  I  can 
count  each  day  by  my  treasury,  for  each  one  costs 
me  regularly  a  twenty-franc  piece.  It  is  splendid  here, 
and  in  thought  I  have  travelled  much  with  you. 
Yesterday  I  descended  from  the  Faulhorn  (8,261  feet). 
There  I  had  a  tremendously  grand  view  of  the  moun- 
tain-, ice-,  snow-,  and  glacier-world  of  the  Bernese 
Oberland,  which  lies  straight  before  one,  as  though  one 
could  take  it  in  one's  hands. — I  walk  well,  and  am 
sound  in  my  legs  ;  as  yet,  however,  I  am  not  satisfied 


TO    UHLIG.  243 

with  my  head ;  the  nerves  of  the  brain  are  terribly 
strained  ;  excitement  and  lassitude — never  true  rest  ! 
Shall  I  really  never  be  much  better  ?  No  cure  in  the 
world  is  of  any  avail  where  only  one  thing  would  help 
— viz.,  if  I  were  different  from  what  I  am.  The  real 
cause  of  my  sorrow  lies  in  my  exceptional  position 
towards  the  world  and  towards  my  surroundings, 
which  can  no  longer  give  me  any  joy ;  everything  for 
me  is  martyrdom  and  pain — and  insufficiency  !  How 
again,  on  this  journey  amidst  wonderful  nature,  have 
the  human  canaille  annoyed  me :  continually  must 
I  draw  back  from  them  in  disgust,  and  yet — I  so  long 
after  human  beings  ; — but  this  pack  of  rogues  !  Devil 
take  them  ! ! — 

There  are  magnificent  women  here  in  the  Oberland, 
but  only  so  to  the  eye  ;  they  are  all  tainted  with  rabid 
vulgarity. — 

Liszt  has  duly  sent  me  one  hundred  thalers  for  the 
Dutchman  honorarium  ;  these  I  am  now  spending  in 
travelling.  Every  day  costs  me  a  Number  of  the 
opera. 

Farewell,  and  get  your  stomach  in  proper"  order;  I 
cannot,  as  a  rule,  digest  milk  ;  it  gives  me  heart-burn. 

I  shall  expect  a  letter  from  you  at  Locarno. 

Your 
R.  W. 

MEIRINGEX,  July  i$th,  '52. 

Do  read  in  Prutz's  Deutsche  Museum  an  article 
"  der  Geist  in  der  Musik  "  by  Otto  Gumprecht  (I  think 
it  is  in  the  first  June  number)  ;  among  other  things  you 
will  find  in  it  a  heavenly  explanation  of  the  A  major 
Symphony,  in  which  everything  is  frenzy,  despair,  and 


•244  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

— God  knows  what  else  !  There's  choice  reading  for 
you  !  It  is  inconceivable  what  a  fine  thing  absolute 
music  is  ! 

X.  was  again  glorious  with  his  report.  What  a  deal 
of  trouble  the  man  takes  to  prove  that  he  was  always 
an  exceedingly  clever  fellow  ! 

70. 

O,  you  Man  !     Homo  terribilis  (Lix.  ii.  53). 

I  really  expected  to  find  a  good  long  letter  here 
from  you,  as  you  promised  in  your  last  note  which 
I  answered  from  Meiringen  :  now  I  find  only  a  few 
lines  on  business.  Well,  I  will  not  do  much  more 
than  answer  your  questions,'  as  my  head,  owing  to 
the  journey — and  especially  to  the  heat — is  all  of  a 
whirl.  So  : — 

I  cannot  imagine  that  they  were  copies  which 
Hahnel  sent  to  Schindelmeisser :  I  thought  these  were 
the  original  Dresden  designs  on  loan;  so  I  meant 
Hahnel  should  ask  for  them  back  at  once,  as  they 
were  now  wanted  in  Leipzig.  Naturally,  if  he  has 
the  originals  in  his  possession,  there  is  no  further 
need  of  the  Wiesbaden  copies,  and  Hahnel  may  now 
see  how  he  can  get  paid  for  them  there.  So  to 
Leipzig,  new  copies  for  nine  thalers,  to  be  paid  by  the 
director.  Full  stop  ! — 

The  Dresden  and  Leipzig  scores  of  the  Dutchman 
will  probably  agree,  but  if  there  is  a  difference  any- 
where, let  the  Dresden  be  followed,  with  the  exception 
of  what  I  have  lately  changed,  especially  in  the  overture. 
When  will  Liszt  have  the  score  ? 

From  sheer  good-nature  I  will    add  a  line  or  two 


TO    UHLIG.  245 

about  my  journey.  The  gem  of  it  all  was  the  march 
over  the  Gries  glacier,  from  Wallis,  through  the  For- 
mazza  valley  to  Domodossola,  which  occupied  me  two 
days.  The  Gries  is  a  magnificently  wild  glacier 
pass,  a  very  dangerous  one,  and  traversed  at  rare 
intervals  by  people  from  the  Hasli  valley  or  Wallis, 
who  bring  southern  goods  (rice,  etc.)  from  the  Italian 
valleys.  For  the  first  time  on  my  journey  there  was 
mist  on  the  glacier  heights  (over  8,OOO  feet),  so  that 
my  guide  had  difficulty  in  finding  a  path  over  the  cold 
walls  of  snow  and  rock.  But  the  descent !  leading 
down  gradually  from  the  grisly  ice-regions,  through 
many  a  sloping  valley,  through  all  the  range  of 
vegetation  of  northern  Europe,  into  the  intense  luxuri- 
ance of  Italy !  I  was  quite  intoxicated,  and  laughed 
like  a  child,  as  I  passed  out  of  chestnut  groves  through 
meadows,  and  even  cornfields,  completely  covered  with 
vine  trellises  (for  that  is  how  the  vine  is  generally 
cultivated  in  Italy),  so  that  I  often  wandered  under 
a  covering  of  vine  similar  to  our  verandahs,  only 
extended  over  whole  acres,  on  which,  again,  every- 
thing grows  that  the  soil  can  produce.  And  then  the 
ever-enchanting  variety  of  form  of  mountain  and 
valley,  with  the  most  delightful  cultivation,  charming 
stone  houses,  and — all  through  the  valley — a  fine  race 
of  men.  Well,  I  cannot  describe  it  all,  but  I  promise 
you  to  go  again  over  the  Gries  glacier  with  you. 

My  first  Italian  conversation  was  grand.  I  could  not, 
for  the  life  of  me,  remember  what  milk  is  called  in 
Italian,  because  this  word,  as  you  know,  never  occurs 
in  Italian  opera,  from  which  I  have  gathered  all  my 
knowledge  of  the  language.  Soon  I  became  quite  a 


246  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Vestriy  and  if  you  recall  that  hot-blooded  sun  of  the 
south,  you  will  have  a  good  likeness  of  me.  From 
Domodossola,  I  went  on  in  the  evening  by  a  "return- 
carriage"  to  Baveno  on  Lago  Maggiore. 

This  drive  crowned  the  day.  I  was  in  a  happy 
frame  of  mind  when  I  at  last  passed  out  of  the  wilds 
into  unchequered  beauty.  Unfortunately  the  next  day 
those  rascals  of  men  (Menschenkanaille)  disturbed  my 
calm  reflections :  on  the  steamer — full  of  Italian  Phili- 
stines, not  bad  specimens  either — poor  fowls  and  ducks, 
(which  were  being  transported),  were  so  vilely  tortured 
and  left  to  the  most  cruel  privations,  that  the  revolting 
unfeelingness  of  the  men  who  had  this  sight  constantly 
before  their  eyes,  again  filled  me  with  violent  anger. 
To  know  that  one  would  be  merel}'  laughed  at  if  one 
attempted  to  interfere  !  ! 

But,  dear  friend,  my  opinion  of  the  human  race  is 
ever  becoming  gloomier;  I  cannot  help  almost  feeling 
that  this  species  must  inevitably  go  to  ruin. 

Here  in  Lugano  again  it  is  divine ;  but  my  loneliness 
torments  me  frightfully.  Herwegh  has  not  come  (he 
is  now  full  of  worry),  and  so  I  have  written  to  my  wife 
to  come  with  Peps.  The  Frankfort  Tannhciuser  must 
provide  me  the  money  for  this  piece  of  extravagance. 

Hartels,  to  whom  I  had  addressed  myself  about 
getting  multiple  copies  of  the  manuscript  of  the 
Nibelungen  dramas,  answered  me  lately,  among  other 
things,  definitely  declaring  that  it  would  afford  them 
the  greatest  pleasure  and  honour  if  I  would  hand  over 
this  work  to  them  for  publication  when  ready ;  indeed, 
that  I  need  not  think  of  any  one  else  but  them. 
Well,  there's  plenty  of  time  for  that ! — 


TO    UHLIG.  247 

I  am  not  thinking  for  the  moment  about  resuming 
work  :  my  head,  especially  with  this  heat,  will  not 
yet  bear  any  continuous  strain.  One  more  interesting 
note :  on  the  Faulhorn  I  ate  roast  chamois,  but  in  the 
Formazza  valley  roast  marmot ;  I  don't  know  whether 
Rausse  forbids  both.  Do  look  it  up ! — Greetings  at 
home,  and  soon  write  something  decent  to  Zurich ! 

Farewell. 

R.  W. 

LUGANO,  Jztly  22nd,  '52. 

71- 

0  MUCH-WORRIED    CHAMBER    MUSICIAN  ! 

What  a  fearful  lot  of  postage  I  must  cost  you 
now  !  Well,  in  return,  I  send  you  to-day  a  really 
beautiful  landscape-painting  instead  of  a  letter.  ,  But 
as  I  must  answer  a  business  inquiry,  it  shall  be  done 
with  all  brevity. 

I  wrote  at  once  to  W.  on  the  receipt  of  your  news  : 

1  remonstrated  with  him  for  his  impudence,  and  told 
him  plainly  that  if  he  was  going  to  behave  so  shabbily 
he    had  better  at    once   give   up   the   performance   of 
Tannhduser :   and  that,  as  he  had   not  yet  sent    the 
honorarium,  he  had  only  in  this  case  to  send  you  back 
the  score.     All  the    same,  let  the    copies    ordered    be 
finished  :  if  not  for  Leipzig,  they'll  do  for  some  other 
place.     Now  that  I  know  the  cost  of  the  copies,  I  will 
in  each  case  quote  people  the  price  in  figures.     Kind 
greetings  to  Heine  ;  I  cannot  write  to  him  to-day. 

I  have  had  an  application  from  Hildburghausen  (as 
per  enclosed)  :  I  find  it  out  of  place  that  /  should 
answer  these  people.  Either  I  shall  not  answer  at  all, 


248  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

or  you  might  undertake  to  call  their  attention  to  my 
biography  in  the  Zeitung  fur  die  elegante  Welt  (1843), 
and  to  my  Vorwort  (as  supplement).  If  you  are 
willing  to  patch  up  something  yourself,  that's  your 
affair.  It  is  not  of  much  importance,  and  at  best  is 
only  a  means  of  avoiding,  or  rather  guarding  against, 
silly  mistakes. — 

You  will  be  astonished  at  the  number  of  places  I 
have  been  to.  I  sent  for  Minna  to  come  to  Lugano  : 
then  with  her  once  more  Lago  Maggiore,  over  Domo- 
dossola,  Wallis,  Martigny  to  Chamounix  (see  the  draw- 
ing), Mer  de  Glace,  etc. — to  Geneva,  where  I  found  your 
last  letter.  Now  we  are  off  home  by  Lausanne. 

For  this  new  journey  I  had  set  apart  the  twenty-five 
louis  d'or  of  the  Frankfort  honorarium,  advanced  to 
me  by  Sulzer.  I  intended  the  Leipzig  honorarium  to 
cover  the  present  deficit — you  already  know  of — in  the 
subvention  I  receive  from  the  R.'s.  And  yet  I  am  so 
daring  in  my  transactions  with  W.  ! 

I  will  write  at  length  to  you  from  Zurich  !  Nothing 
further  to-day,  except  to  say  that  the  journey  was  a 
success. 

Your 
R.  W. 

GENEVA,  August  yd,  '52. 

(With  a  picture  of  the  Chamounix  Valley.) 

72. 

To-day  I  will  add  what  may  be  necessary  to  the 
few  lines  I  sent  lately  :  I  have  not  much  news. 

For  nearly  four  weeks  I  have  .been  on  a  journey 


TO    UHLIG.  249 

towards  which  I  had  long  looked  forward  as  to  the 
realization  of  a  beautiful  dream.  I  had  many  an 
impression  that  was  pleasing  enough,  taken  by  itself; 
but  I  was  always  seeking  after  the  right  one,  and — I 
could  not  find  rest.  It  is  all  over;  I  have  lost  my 
youth  ;  life  no  longer  stands  before  me ;  all  my  working 
and  doing  is  only  now  a  protracted  death.  I  have 
learnt  much  during  this  journey.  But  I  will  spare 
you  ;  why  describe  things  which  will  not  bear  descrip- 
tion ? — 

I  have  returned  from  my  journey  with  one  resolve : 
as  I  can  now  only  lead  an  artificial  life — i.e.,  a  life  for 
art — I  will  thoroughly  do  everything  which  can  keep 
me  artificially  on  end.  I  now  so  ardently  long  to  have 
a  little  house  with  a  garden,  here  in  the  country,  far  up 
on  the  heights  by  the  lake,  to  look  after  my  little 
property,  to  surround  myself  with  flowers  and  animals, 
and  to  set  up  a  cosy  nook  where  friends  may  visit  me, 
that  I  intend  to  carry  this  out  at  any  cost.  It  is  an 
undertaking  which  I  now  feel  compelled  to  carry  out, 
and  when  I  survey  my  outward  circumstances,  I  have 
reason  to  hope  that  it  will  prove  successful.  There 
is  no  longer  any  doubt  that  in  the  immediate  future 
I  may  look  for  substantial  receipts  from  my  operas. 
Were  I  to  wait  till  I  had  saved  up  the  sum  necessary 
to  purchase  an  estate,  this — considering  the  state  of 
my  health — would  be  folly  :  the  "  too  late  "  would,  in 
my  case,  prove  terribly  true ;  and,  besides,  there  would 
be  the  danger  of  never  being  able  to  collect  the  entire 
sum,  as  I  should  probably  fritter  away  the  money  in 
other  directions.  I  am  therefore  resolved— and  have 
already  spoken  on  the  matter  with  my  Swiss  friends 


250  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

here — to  advertise  at  once  for  a  suitable  small  estate, 
the  price  of  which  should  not  exceed  10,000  francs. 

As  soon  as  I  can  pay  down  a  deposit  of  2,000  francs 
the  matter  can  be  settled  :  out  of  my  future  receipts 
I  could  pay  the  interest  on  the  sum  remaining,  and  also 
gradually  wipe  off  the  capital  debt.  In  any  case,  even 
for  the  deposit  money,  I  might  well  count  upon  the 
assistance  of  a  friendly  hand. — 

When  I  reflect  that  my  wife  and  I  shall  one  day  die 
childless,  and  therefore  a  heritable  property  will  be  of 
no  value  or  use  to  us,  I  should  much  prefer  if  some  one 
could  be  found  who  would  lend  me  the  whole  purchase- 
money,  upon  the  security  of  the  estate,  on  the  condition 
that  after  my  and  my  wife's  deaths  it  should  revert  to 
him  or  his,  embellished  and  enriched  by  my  care  and 
at  my  cost.  I  could  then  employ  my  expected  receipts 
in  a  still  pleasanter  enjoyment  of  life,  in  travelling, 
etc.  That  such  a  person  could  be  found  is  not  lightly 
to  be  expected,  and  in  any  case  I  will  not  count  upon 
it.— 

(A  letter  has  just  come  from  you  :  I  will  read  it 
first.) 

Best  thanks  for  this  letter,  and  its  good  humour  in 
spite  of  your  indisposition  !  (What  is  the  matter  with 
you,  you  waterman,  that  you  become  ailing  of  a 
sudden  ?  Set  my  mind  at  rest  on  the  matter  !)  To 
settle  "  business,"  only  the  following  brief  lines  ! — 

I  do  not  yet  know  how  matters  stand  with  Berlin  : 
I  have  demanded  an  honorarium  of  1,000  thalers, 
assigning  good  reasons  for  my  demand,  and  have  given 
them  clearly  to  understand  that  I  will  not  prostitute 
myself  again  for  Berlin  at  such  a  cheap  rate.  Probably 


TO    UHLIG.  251 

they  will  decline  :  I  must  risk  it.  If  I  accomplish 
anything,  it  can  only  be  by  terrorism. — Make  my 
excuses  to  Heine  for  not  writing  to  him.  In  order  to 
satisfy  him  I  require  to  be  very  expansive  ;  and  my 
repugnance  to  all  such  empty  scribbling  is  now 
frightful.  To  D.  also  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  write 
just  now.  Thank  Heine  in  my  name  for  his  informa- 
tion :  it  will  probably  not  prove  so  incorrect !  If  it 
should  still  come  to  a  definite  acceptance,  I  will  care- 
fully see  about  the  allotment  of  roles.  You  will 
probably  hear  something  definite  from  W. :  do  not 
give  him  the  designs  without  the  money !  S.  has 
kept  quite  quiet :  I  have  given  him  a  sound  scolding, 
and  warned  him  that  by  the  next  post  I  expect  either 
the  news  that  the  score  has  been  sent  back  to  you,  or 
the  honorarium,  with  the  assurance  that  the  Dresden 
designs  will  be  procured. — This  is  my  last  word ;  there 
is  an  end  to  good-nature. — 

The  Moritz  had  long  since  written  to  me  that  she 
was  trying  to  get  Tannhaitser  played  in  Breslau ;  so 
that  I  was  not  surprised  at  your  news  about  the 
director  there. 

You  did  what  was  right  about  the  score.  So  far 
as  I  know,  Seidelmann  is  a  conscientious  man,  who 
certainly  had  good  reasons  if  he  asked  to  look  at  the 
score. 

You  can  also  conclude  in  my  name  with  the  director 
Reimann  :  I.  An  honorarium  of  twenty  Friedrich's  d'or, 
to  be  sent  to  you  or  to  me  immediately  on  the  declaration 
of  acceptance :  II.  An  undertaking  to  arrange  the 
scenery  and  costumes  according  to  the  Dresden  designs, 
which  can  be  had  through  you  for  seventeen  thalers. 


252  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

It  seems  that  the  Diisseldorfers  really  have  a  good 
orchestra  :  see  if  you  can  get  eighteen  louis  d'or  from 
Kramer,  and,  if  not,  let  him  have  the  score  for  ten 
louis  d'or.  (But,  to  be  paid  immediately  on  receipt  of 
the  same — to  you  or  to  me — 'tis  no  matter  which.) 
See  if  you  can  further  manage  to  make  Kramer  procure 
the  designs  from  you  :  but  that  must  not  be  made  a 
sine  qua  non. — 

It  is  possible  you  may  also  receive  a  demand  for 
Tannhdnser  from  Prague  :  if  so,  then  the  same  con- 
ditions as  for  Breslau,  to  which  I  shall  have  to  keep 
for  all  theatres  of  second  rank  :  I  see  well  that  I 
cannot  ask  higher. — 

There  !  you  will  have  your  hands  full  ! — 

On  my  return,  B.'s  paper  made  me  quite  sad 
again. — I  wrote  at  once  that  Brendel  should  be  asked 
whether  he  might  not  want  letters  from  me  on  the 
formation  of  the  Alps.  Great  heavens  !  What  articles 
this  paper  ought  to  contain,  if  there  were  only  a  trace 
of  comprehension  of  the  task  it  had  to  accomplish  ! 
Your  reviews  are  always  excellent,  and  edify  me, — but, 
good  God  !  what  a  heap  of  work  there  is  to  be  done, 
if  one  would  only  take  in  hand  the  right  stuff,  which 
is  never  once  offered,  with  all  this  reviewing. 

— I  wish  you  would  send  a  line  or  two  to  your 
friends,  at  your  leisure,  begging  them  to  be  more 
prudent  in  lending  my  manuscript  of  Young  Siegfried. 
I  actually  read  lately  in  the  Krenzcitnng  a  joke  about 
the  dragon  (Lindwurni)  Fafner !  Such  experiences 
make  me  extremely  averse  to  carry  out  my  intention 
of  distributing  copies  of  the  whole  poem  among  my 
friends.  When  an  opportunity  offers,  do  see  that  the 


TO    UHLIG.  253 

Dresden  score  goes  to  Weimar  for  correction  :  this  is  of 
the  highest  importance  to  me  ! —      « 

As  regards  friendship,  I  grant  you  are  right,  and 
certainly  in  the  Cause  you  are  right ;  I  am  only  sorry 
that  in  this  matter  there  is  any  question  of  right  ! 
You  must  not  discuss  theory  with  me  any  more  ;  it 
drives  me  clean  crazy  to  have  to  do  with  such  matters. 
The  nerves  of  my  brain  ! — there's  the  bother  !  I  have 
cruelly  taxed  them  :  it  is  possible  I  may  yet  one  day 
go  mad !— 

But  one  line  more,  in  conclusion  :  if  there  is  one 
thing  about  which  I  rejoice,  it  is  your  visit  for  next 
year !  See  betimes  about  leave  of  absence  :  the  rest, 
I  hope,  you  will  leave  to  my  care! 

Farewell !  Take  care  of  your  health,  and  hearty 
thanks  for  all  your  friendship  !  Best  greetings  from 
my  wife. 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  August  gth,  '52. 

P.S. — I  also  have  been  thinking  of  the  full  close  of 
Tannhduser  for  Berlin  :  so  get  Wolfel  to  add  the 
complete  ending  with  the  Pilgrims'  song,  exactly  as 
you  meant. 

73- 
BEST  FRIEND  ! 

A  line  or  two  to-day  on  business  matters ! 
I  have  just  had  a  letter  direct  from  Breslan :  I  have 
answered  and  made   the   conditions,  such  as   I   lately 
wrote  to  you.     So  send  thither  the  corrected  score  as 


254  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

soon  as  possible,  and  order  the  designs  for  costumes  and 
scenery. 

Also,  see  at  once  about  fresh  scores  and  designs,  for 
I  have  just  been  informed  that  Hanover,  too,  by  special 
command  of  the  king,  is  on  the  way  towards  Tannhduser. 
If  Wolfel  is  not  enough,  you  must  see  about  a  second 
copyist. 

I  have  not  yet  received  any  money ;  what  is  the  state 
of  your  fund  for  expenses  ?  Can  you  wait  till  the 
autumn,  or  do  you  want  money  before  then  ? 

Another  request :  as  you  have  so  often  to  write  me 
on  business  matters,  do  not  pay  the  postage  any  more. 
Am  I  to  ruin  you  utterly  ? — 

I  have  written  to  Heine  to-day.  My  head  is  not 
clear  enough  yet  for  work. 

Farewell,  good  fellow. 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  August  nth,  '52. 

74- 
BEST  OF  MEN  ! 

At  the  same  time  as  your  letter  I  received  a 
fresh  load  of  trouble  for  you.  A  theatrical  agent, 
Michaelson  in  Berlin,  informs  me  that  no  less  than  five 
theatres  have  asked  for  Tannhduser  (among  them, 
however,  Dusseldorf  is  included  ;  besides,  Riga,  Stettin, 
Dantzig,  and  Konigsberg).  I  think  I  will  have  nothing 
to  do  with  people  of  this  sort,  and  accept  the  offered 
mediation  so  as  to  be  saved  a  lot  of  scribbling.  I  only 
stipulate  that  the  honorarium  (after  deducting  commis- 
sion) be  sent  to  me  beforehand.  So  get  ready,  you 
unlucky  fellow,  to  prepare  more  scores  :  if  you  have 


TO    UHLIG.  255 

not  a  sufficient  supply,  claim  fresh  ones  from  X.  With 
regard  to  the  outlay,  I  am  awaiting  a  statement  from 
you,  and  hold  myself  ready  to  provide  you  with  money 
in  case  you  need  it.  (I  have  myself  received  nothing 
tangible  from  any  quarter.  Please  provide  yourself 
with  copyists  for  the  re-arranged  scores.) 

From  Berlin  I  have  no  answer  about  my  honorarium 
demand.  Leipzig  has  humbly  apologized,  and  prayed 
for  pardon :  again  I  have  enjoined  on  them  the  necessity 
of  procuring  the  designs  for  the  scenery.  With  regard 
to  Berlin  I  have  written  to  Heine  and  Liszt  about  the 
transfer  of  the  "  alter  ego  "  to  them. 

— Now  something  important !  As  I  cannot  possibly 
address  myself  separately  to  all  the  conductors  and  inter- 
preters in  spe  of  Tannhauser,  I  am  busy  working  at  a 
concise  address,  respecting  the  performance  and  the  way 
in  which  I  wish  it  carried  out.  It  will  contain  ample 
details,  and,  for  many  reasons,  I  think  its  public 
appearance  will  be  of  advantage. 

Hence  I  intend  this  pro  memorid  for  Brendel's  journal, 
where  it  should  appear  either  as  a  leading  article,  or 
better  still,  as  a  special  supplement,  but  in  either  case 
in  full.  Give  notice  of  this  to  Brendel,  who  indeed 
wished  to  have  something  of  the  sort  from  me,  and  pre- 
vail upon  him  to  keep  space  open,  so  that  the  article  may 
come  out  without  delay.  Unfortunately  I  can  only  work 
very  slowly,  as  any  work  now  tries  my  head  extremely. 
Yet  I  hope  to  have  done  in  four  or  five  days,  at  latest ; 
I  will  then  send  the  manuscript  direct  to  him  (to  save 
time),  and  stipulate  that  you  correct  the  proof,  whereby 
you  will  gain  an  opportunity  of  reading  it  before  it 
appears  in  print. 


256  RICHARD  .WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Now  farewell  for  to-day  !  You  will  soon  have  more 
news  from  me  !  By  the  beginning  of  the  winter  your 
trouble  will  probably  be  over. 

R.  W. 

August  l^t/i,  '52. 

75- 

DEAR  UHLIG, 

Again  a  red — i.e.,  a  business  letter.  The  director, 
J.  A.  Stoger,  at  Prague,  wants  the  score  and  book  of 
Tannhauser,  and  so  I  beg  you  to  let  him  have  them  at 
once.  By  this  time  you  have  probably  received  the 
missing  "  sheet "  through  my  parents-in-law. 

From  no  quarter  have  I  received  an  honorarium,  and 
I  think  of  soon  giving  rather  a  rough  reminder  to  the 
Leipzig  director.  No  answer  from  Berlin.  The  director 
of  the  Wilrzburg  Theatre  has  lately  inquired  about 
Tannhduser. 

Only  to-day  have  I  finished  the  manuscript  of  my 
"address  on  the  performance  of  Tannhanser."  It  had 
to  be  more  detailed  than  I  at  first  thought,  and  I  am 
now  glad  that  I  hit  upon  this  way  of  removing  a 
great  weight  from  my  mind.  I  am  again  much  ex- 
hausted by  the  work,  and  I  must  now  try  to  thoroughly 
recover  from  the  effects.  After  ripe  reflection,  I  found 
it  necessary  to  give  the  manuscript  at  once  to  be 
printed  here,  so  as  to  be  able  to  send  as  quickly  as 
possible  a  sufficient  quantity  of  copies  to  the  theatres 
(privatim  and  gratis}.  I  have  ordered  two  hundred,  of 
which  I  will  at  once  send  you  a  good  share,  so  that 
you  may  be  able  to  deliver  them  to  the  theatres,  to 
gether  with  the  scores ;  the  number  in  each  case  to  be 


TO    UHLIG.  257 

determined  by  me.  But  in  this  matter  I  wish  to  appeal 
to  the  public  also,  and,  as  soon  as  it  is  ready,  will  send 
a  copy  to  Brendel  to  put  in  his  paper. 

Hartels  have  sent  me  copies  of  the  score  of  Lohengrin, 
of  which  I  keep  three  for  presentation.  In  any  case 
you  will  receive  one  (as  you  seem  to  have  received  none 
from  Hartels)  ;  a  second  I  think  of  presenting  to  Robert 
Franz,  and  will  send  it  to  you  to  see  that  he  gets  it.  I 
have  really  been  intending  for  a  long  time  to  write  to 
Franz.  Heaven  knows  how  one  always  puts  off  a  thing 
of  the  sort,  however  agreeable  it  may  be.  Kind  greet- 
ings to  him,  and  assure  him  that  I  place  great  value  on 
the  fact  that  he — next  to  you  and  Liszt — was  the  first 
musician  who  showed  me  any  friendship. 

I  cannot  write  any  more  to  you  to-day.  My  head  is 
again  all  confused.  Rest  !  rest !  (just  like  Reissiger ! ) 

Farewell,  and  greetings  at  home. 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  August  zyd,  '52. 

Keep  scores  in  readiness,  for  shortly  there  will  have 
to  be  a  regular  hailstorm  of  them  ! 

Peps  keeps  on  barking.  Auerbach  was  also  here  ; 
but  he  did  not  bark. 

76. 
DEAR  FRIEND, 

With  the  best  will  in  the  world,  I  was  unable 
yesterday  to  send  off  the  parcel  with  the  two  scores  and 
one  hundred  copies  of  the  Guide  to  the  performance  of 
Tannhauscr,  because  I  had  no  money  for  the  postage  : 
thus  do  the  shabby  directors  leave  me  in  the  lurch. 

17 


258  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Fortunately,  I  have  just  received  the  fifty  thalers  from 
the  Wiirzburg  theatre-director,  and  so  for  the  moment 
I  am  afloat  again.  You  will  have  already  seen  what 
cunning  means  I  have  hit  upon  to  compel  the  managers 
to  pay — of  the  acceptance-permits  (Zwangsp&sse)  which 
I  have  given  to  them.  You  will  probably  have  received 
two  for  inspection  from  Wtirzburg  and  from  Diisseldorf. 
I  shall  stick  to  this  for  the  future,  and  heartily  regret 
not  to  have  invented  this  plan  at  the  time  when  I  first 
became  acquainted  with  the  Leipziger.  Probably  the 
permits  did  not  come  to  you  unprepared,  and  you  no 
doubt  had  warm  rolls  to  hand  to  appease  the  voracity 
of  the  theatres. 

If  only  my  head  were  in  a  better  state  !  I  have  done 
for  myself  again  with  that  cursed  pamphlet,  which  I 
rushed  through  in  order  to  get  everything  finished  in 
hot  haste.  A  sharp  knife  often  cuts  into  the  nerves  of 
my  brain  ;  besides  which  I  am  weak  and  feverish  in  all 
my  limbs.  But  if  my  head  recovers,  then  I  feel  better 
at  once.  On  it — on  this  laboratory  of  the  imagination — 
everything  depends. 

The  matter  with  Berlin  \vill  be  arranged,  for  I  go 
back  to  the  tantieme.  Hiilsen  means  quite  honourably, 
and  is  thoroughly  well  disposed  towards  Tannhduscr. 
Under  these  circumstances  I  must  withdraw  my  vote 
of  want  of  confidence  in  him.  By  the  tantieme  I  shall, 
with  luck,  gain  more  than  a  thousand  thalers.  But 
more  about  this  later  on  ! — 

I  cannot  decently  have  any  more  copies  of  "  On  the 
Performance,"  etc.,  struck  off:  I  should  indeed  be  sorry 
for  some  persons  of  whom  I  had  to  make  mention  in  it 
in  terms  of  censure.  But  if  you  care  to  make  an  extract 


TO    UHLIG.  259 

from  it,  and  publish  this — with  a  notice  of  the  subject — 
this  would  possibly  do  much  good.  You  could  quote  a 
great  deal  :  only  certain  matters  of  detail  (the  scene- 
painting,  etc.),  and  those  scolding  comments,  need  come 
out.  But — you  will  understand  what  to  do. 

If  Tannhattser  should,  after  all,  be  given  in  Dresden, 
hand  over  to  Fischer  three  or  four  copies  of  the 
pamphlet,  so  that  he  may  give  them  in  my  name  to 
v.  Liittichau,  whom  I  beg  to  direct  "  specially  the  con- 
ductor and  the  stage-manager  "  to  pay  careful  attention 
to  the  communication.  I  would  ask  Fischer  kindly  to 
undertake  this.  If  I  only  knew  of  a  way  altogether  to 
put  a  stop  to  the  Dresden  performance ! 

In  the  case  of  future  orders  I  will  always  let  you 
know  whether  and  how  many  copies  of  the  Address  you 
ought  to  send  away  with  the  score.  For  this  very 
purpose  I  send  you  half  the  edition.  The  theatres 
up  to  the  present  I  am  supplying  from  here. 

Now  something  of  great  importance  ! — 

Let  X.  know  exactly  the  places  which  now  have  the 
score.  I  have  stipulated  with  all  the  managers  that  the 
books  of  words  are  to  be  had  of  X.  Now,  if  he  does 
not  bestir  himself,  they  won't  care  a  fig  about  asking 
for  them.  So  he  must  write  quickly  to  Berlin,  Leipzig, 
Frankfort,  Breslau,  Prague,  Diisseldorf,  and  Wiirzburg, 
and  ask  for  orders.  He  must  also  commission  a  busi- 
ness friend  there  to  keep  a  sharp  look-out,  so  that  no 
books  of  words  are  pirated.  For  Berlin,  if  (which  you 
will  learn)  they  give  there  the  complete  ending — with  the 
Pilgrims'  chorus — there  must  be  special  copies  of  the 
text  printed  off,  with  a  newly  arranged  last  page, 
according  to  Hartels'  edition.  This  page  could  be 


260  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

likewise  stereotyped  for  any  other  theatres  which  may 
follow  the  example.  How  sorry  I  am  that  all  this 
should  be  in  the  hands  of  such  a  glue-boiler ! ! 

I  must  conclude.  The  packet  is  too  heavy  and  ex- 
pensive for  the  post,  so  I  am  sending  it  by  goods-mail. 
For  you  and  Fischer  (Liittichau)  I  therefore  only 
enclose  five  examples  with  this  letter. 

I  shall  send  the  Guide  from  here  to  Prague,  Breslau, 
Diisseldorf,  and  Wiirzburg.  The  other  theatres  are 
already  provided  for,  so  I  think  there  is  plenty  of  time 
for  the  transmission  of  the  greater  bulk. 

Farewell !  Forgive  me  the  many  commissions  ;  but 
if  you  do  not  take  a  double  share  off  my  hands,  there 
will  be  an  end  of  me.  Imagine  it,  this  letter  almost 
kills  me ! 

Send  news  soon,  and  remain  good  to  me ! 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  August  y>th,  52. 

77- 
DEAREST  ! 

I  can  only  tell  you  in  two  lines  that  Figaro  has 
again  conducted  himself  admirably,  and  that  I  thank 
him  heartily  for  his  performances.  Reply  I  cannot  at 
the  moment :  I  dare  not  write,  because  I  cannot.  That's 
how  things  stand  with  me  ! 

For  the  rest,  everything  is  at  a  standstill — nothing 
definite  from  Berlin  yet.  No  money  from  any  quarter, 
excepting  Wurzburg.  What  can  I  do  with  the  Leipzigcr, 
who  does  not  even  answer  my  letter  of  reminder  ? 


TO    UHLIG.  26l 

Wolfel  will  have  enough  copying  to  do,  for  I  see  you 
are  not  provided  with  a  sufficient  number  of  Tannhduser 
scores,  as  you  have  had  to  keep  Prague  waiting.  Do 
employ  two  copyists  !  Let  the  one  write  the  new  ending, 
and  the  other  all  the  rest :  thus  a  copy  can  be  finished 
in  half  the  time  (the  original  can  be  cut  in  half). — 

But  I  can  no  more !  Farewell ! — the  score  to  J. 
Schaffer  shortly. 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  September  $th,  '52. 

78. 

DEAR  FRIEND, 

A  few  days  ago  the  highly  conscientious  Prague 
director  sent  me  the  honorarium  even  before  receiving 
the  score  :  /  hope  he  has  got  the  latter  by  now  ? — To-day 
Breslau  also  sends  its  golden  tribute.  I  have  lost  all 
patience  with  Leipzig.  Already  a  few  days  ago  I  wrote  to 
Rietz  to  remind  W. ;  but  I  presume  even  that  will  be  of  no 
avail,  and  I  therefore  beg  you  (are  you  angry  ?)  to  carry 
out  the  enclosed  "  commission  "  through  some  acquaint- 
ance of  yours  (perhaps  the  first  musician  you  come 
across).  I  am  getting  in  a  rage  with  this  director :  he 
does  not  answer  at  all. — 

To-day  I  forward  you  also  a  score  of  Lohengrin,  which 
I  request  you  to  send  to  Julius  Schaffer  (whose  address 
I  do  not  know). 

This  is  all  I  can  write  to-day  !     Take  it  not  ill ! 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  September  8tk,  '52. 

Keep  scores  still  in  readiness.     I  have  just  received  a 


262  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

letter  from  Cologne :  I  have  drawn  an  acceptance-permit 
for  ten  louis  d'or. 

79- 
BEST  FRIEND, 

Some  business,  so  that  you  may  not  get  out  of 
practice  ! — I  enclose  the  sketch  of  my  last  letter  to  my 
Berlin  brother,  from  which  you  will  see  how  it  stands 
with  the  Tannhauser  matter  there.  Let  Heine  see  this 
draft  at  once,  and  then  send  it  back  to  me. 

As  things  now  are  (they  have  suddenly  discovered 
that  Tannhauser  cannot  be  given  on  any  one  of  the 
Royal  birthdays),  it  is  advisable  meanwhile  that  X. 
should  write  about  the  books  of  words  to  Berlin  (to  the 
general  intendant  of  the  royal  theatre).  You  must  com- 
pose the  letter  for  him  (he  is  an  ass).  This  is  the  state 
of  things  : — My  brother  writes  :  "A  family,  Jacoby  by 
name,  received  from  the  late  king,  Heaven  knows  for 
how  long,  the  privilege  of  printing  and  selling  all  books 
of  words  for  all  operas.  The  family  receives  therefrom 
a  yearly  income  of  1,800  thalers  :  to  take  away  from 
them  the  books  of  words  of  Tannhauser  would  result  in 
a  law-suit  and  all  kinds  of  things.  However,  it  could  be 
arranged  by  means  of  a  discount  (25  per  cent.)  :  they 
would  not  then  need  to  print  them,  and  could  always 
sell  them  to  advantage.  Hiilsen  will  speak  to  the 
parties.  If  the  parties  are  unwilling,  nothing  can  be 
done." — So  far  my  brother  ! 

I  would  have  you  notice  that  the  (wretched)  Berlin 
books  of  words  are  always  sold  for  5  Silbergroschen, 
whereas  the  price  of  the  Tannhauser  books  was  fixed  at 
3  Neugroschcn.  X.  ought  therefore  to  send  to  Berlin 


TO    UHLIG.  263 

copies  on  which  the  price  is  not  marked,  or  on  which  it 
is  marked  as  5  Silbergroschen  (for  smaller  places  the 
lower  price  could  remain).  X.  could  let  the  Jacoby  family 
have  the  copy  for  2\  Silbergroschen ,  that  is  at  50  per  cent, 
discount.  Thus  the  people  will  be  perfectly  satisfied, 
and  it  will  make  no  difference  to  our  receipts. 

Should  it  be  impossible  to  make  an  exception  in  the 
price,  or,  for  any  other  reason,  to  mark  it  at  5  Silber- 
groschen,  and  so  the  3  Silbergroschen  have  to  remain,  X. 
would  have  to  reduce  the  discount  somewhat,  perhaps 
to  35  or  40  per  cent.,  in  order  to  make  these  people 
amenable.  We  shall  not  let  it  come  to  a  law-suit ;  on 
the  other  hand,  even  without  gaining  much  profit,  we  still 
preserve  our  rights  over  the  property. 

My  head  is  still  bad,  and  as  the  result  of  my  continual 
agitation  by  the  invisible  land  outside,  I  am  in  a  very 
nervous  state  of  health. 

Rockel's  letter  of  yesterday  caused  me  great,  great 
joy  !  He  bears  himself  in  first-rate  style,  staunch,  and 
cheerful. — I  shall  answer  him  to-morrow. 

The  "  three  opera-poems,"  which  he  supposes  to  be 
already  here  from  Hartels,  he  has  not  yet  received, 
neither  has  he  yet  had  Oper  und  Drama,  about  which 
he  has  much  to  say.  Now  I  had  begged  you  to  send 
a  copy  to  Rockel  as  soon  as  it  appeared,  and  you  also 
wrote  that  you  had  attended  to  it :  could  you  not  inquire 
through  your  legal  friend  in  Waldheim  ?  Hartels  appears 
to  have  paid  no  attention  to  the  matter,  for  he  is  even 
still  asking  for  the  pianoforte  score  of  Lohengrin.  By 
his  wife  I  am  sending  him  my  last  copy  (already  bound 
for  myself),  but  will  you  please  inquire  about  the  "  three 
opera-poems  "? 


264  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

You  may  possibly  soon  receive  an  acceptance-permit 
from  Cologne  for  the  Tannhduser ;  keep  scores  ready  ! 

Farewell,  I  must  stretch  myself  on  the  lazy-couch,  in 
order  to  close  my  eyes  ! 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  September  \  \th,  '52. 

80. 

DEAR  UHLIG, 

With  your  letter  I  received  also  one  from 
Michaelson,  who  asks  for  a  book  of  Tannhduser  for 
Riga,  because  this  must  be  examined  at  St.  Petersburg 
by  the  censor  before  the  director  can  buy  the  opera. 
So  please  send  to  "  Herrmann  Michaelson  (Theater- 
kommissionsgeschaft)  Leipzigerstrasse  42  in  Berlin " 
half-a-dozen  books  of  words  (I  suppose  X  has  some 
in  stock  ? ),  and  tell  him  from  me  that  the  books  of 
words  for  the  theatre  are  only  to  be  obtained  through 
X.  Besides  that  he  will  receive  the  score  through  you, 
but  only  upon  advice  from  me ;  I  shall  have  already 
communicated  to  him  what  he  must  do  to  obtain  such 
order  (payment  in  advance). 

— I  have  no  money  yet  from  Diisseldorf :  I  have  a 
presentiment  that  as  you  have  already  sent  off  the  score 
(you  unprincipled  man  !)  there  will  be  no  end  of  trouble 
about  the  money. 

Miihling  (not  Schmidt's  father-in-law)  has  left  Frank- 
fort, and  Hoffmann  has  taken  his  place :  the  latter 
wishes  to  give  Tannhduser  with  unheard-of  splendour, 
as  his  inaugural  opera. 

Hence  the  delay.  I  shall  receive  money  as  soon  as 
Hoffmann  has  arrived  in  Frankfort. 


TO    UHLIG.  265 

— I  cannot  write  any  more  to  you  to-day :  I  have 
already  devoted  my  whole  writing  power  to  ROckel, 
to  whom  I  have  just  addressed  a  long  letter.  I  am 
also  sending  him  a  Lohengrin  score,  which  had  been 
bound  for  myself  (as  duplicate). 

You  have  misunderstood  me. 

As  to  the  purchase  of  an  estate,  I  had  no  one  specially 
in  my  mind  :  do  you  consider  me  so  obstinate  in  my 
superstition  ? — As  Berlin  seems  to  have  smashed  up, 
my  scheme  has  again  disappeared  into  the  dim 
distance. — 

Now  listen  : 

Man  !  man  !  man  ! 

Get  hold  of  Hafts  ("  Poems  of  Hafis,"  collected  by 
Daumer). 

I.  At  Campe's  in  Hamburg. 

II.  Lately  issued  in  Nuremburg. 

This  Persian  Hafis  is  the  greatest  poet  that  ever 
lived  and  wrote.  If  you  do  not  get  him  at  once,  I 
shall  hold  you  in  thorough  contempt :  put  down  the 
cost  to  the  Tannhduser  account. 

Only  be  thankful  for  this  recommendation  ! 
Farewell.      Look  after  wife  and  child,   and   do  all 
in  your  power  to  stop  Tannhduser  at  Dresden  ! 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  September  \2th,  '52. 

81. 
BEST  FRIEND, 

Immediately  on   receipt   of  your   letter   I   must 
devote  a  little  writing  power  to  you  :  already  last  Tuesday 


266  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

I  felt  moved  to  thank  you  for  your  last  "  choice 
reading."  Good  heavens,  how  proud  you  will  make 
me!  So  I  am  indeed  a  "musician"!  If  you  only  knew 
how  many  things  passed  through  my  mind  on  reading 
that !  Altogether,  I  could  really  write  sheets  full  to  you 
every  day.  There  is  (unfortunately)  a  terrible  quantity 
of  matter  for  correspondence  :  day  by  day  I  learn  more 
and  more,  so  that  I  no  longer  know  what  to  do !  But 
the  cursed  writing  !  !  I  reserve  everything  till  next 
summer,  when,  in  any  case,  you  will  pay  me  a  visit : 
we  will  not  be  lazy  then  ! — 

I  am  not  one  jot  better ;  only  I  accustom  myself 
gradually  to  a  fresh  degradation  of  my  state  of  health  ; 
I  am  resigned,  and  manage  accordingly :  I  work  now 
every  day  a  short  hour  ! — so,  good  Heine  rejoices  at  my 
good  spirits  ?  He  is  right ;  complaints  from  me  shall 
never  more  be  addressed  to  friends  such  as  he  is  ! — 

I  wrote  (very  briefly)  to  D.,  just  to  clear  up  !  And 
ought  I  also  to  have  written  to  X.  ?  That  cannot  be  quite 
a  correct  story.  I  presume,  however,  that  he  confuses 
my  Berlin  brother  with  myself.  He,  as  he  announced  to 
me,  has  written  to  X.  about  the  books  of  words.  This 
matter,  I  hope,  is  set  straight  by  the  last  instructions  I 
gave  to  you — still  I  should  like  to  hear  something  about 
it. — With  Berlin  I  am  now  also  straight :  had  my  brother 
informed  me  that  this  time,  by  way  of  exception, 
Johanna  was  remaining  in  Berlin  till  the  end  of  May, 
my  objection  would,  naturally,  have  been  removed, 
and  with  this  news  I  should  have  been  quite  satisfied  ; 
but,  over  and  above,  Hiilsen  assures  me  by  letter,  that 
before  the  spring  he  hopes  to  give  the  opera  more  than 
ten  times,  and  undertakes  also  to  arrange  for  six 


TO    UHLIG.  267 

performances  during   the   first  month.      In  short,  the 
matter  is  in  order  :  do  tell  this  also  to  Heine  ! — 

That  Reissiger  has  at  once  hit  upon  the  idea  of 
"  cuts  "  is  delicious  !  If  you  only  knew  how  indifferent 
to  me  is  this  Dresden  performance !  The  best  means 
to  prevent  it  would  be,  if  a  certain  person  happened  to 
read  my  pamphlet :  he  would  probably  be  offended  by 
it,  and  my  opera  would  be  abandoned.  I  know  the 
people  I  have  to  deal  with ! — 
Has  Luttichau  got  the  copies  ? 

Why  I  am  so  eager  after  the  "wretched"  Leipzig 
honorarium  ? — I.  Because  W.  outrageously  annoys  me. 
II.  Because  I  am  greatly  in  want  of  money.  What 
do  you  think  ?  I  owe  twenty-six  louis  d'or  to  Sdlzer 
for  my  summer  tour :  twenty  louis  d'or  to  my  wife,  to 
cover  the  deficit  in  our  last  year's  money.  I  am  much 
in  debt,  too,  with  my  new  establishment  here.  Then, 
lastly :  how  can  you  imagine  I  ever  have  enough  money  ? 
In  the  dog's  life  to  which  I  am  condemned — I  cannot 
get  a  scrap  of— distraction,  well-being,  or  whatever 
you  like  to  call  it — without  money  ?  It  is  all  very  well 
for  you  to  talk.  You  have  children  !  Don't  make  your 
hair  turn  grey  over  my  too  much  money !  I  assure 
you,  on  the  contrary,  that  I  am  possessed  of  quite  a 
vulgar  greed  :  I  am  now  on  the  hunt  for  the  Nibelungen 
hoard, — I  have  given  up  the  Graal.  Shall  I  again 
write  down  for  you  my  last  recipe  ? — 

Well,  don't  think  of  me  as  more  common  than  I  really 
am  :  there  are  still  a  few  noble  sides  to  my  character  ! 
So,  for  example,  be  assured  that  I  should  gladly  have 
given  up  Berlin,  had  not  the  intendant  there  shown 
himself  so  amiable  towards  me  as  he  has,  etc. 


268  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Do  you  believe  it  cost  me  no  effort,  lately,  to  refuse 
Tannhauser  to  a  travelling  director  in  Rudolstadt  ?  I 
am  convinced  the  man  would  have  paid  me  four  louis 
d'or.  (Do  nothing  with  Cologne  without  a  postal 
receipt  !)  They  have  written  to  me  from  Schwerin 
about  Lohengrin.  Tannhauser  has  pleased  them  :  in  sc 
short  a  time  it  has  drawn  nine  full  houses !  Heavens  ! 
what  more  does  one  want  ? 

If  only  Fe'tis  pere  knew  that ! 

I  have  also  received  the  Ballenstadt  Musical  Festival 
pamphlet.  This  work  is  noble  and  elevating,  only  I 
am  terribly  annoyed  that  in  it  they  make  me  a  year 
older  than  I  am  !  When  will  people  know  once  for  all 
that  I  was  born  in  1813  ?  I  see  my  friends  still  do  not 
work  sufficiently  in  my  interest ! — 

Franz  has  written  to  me  :  so,  as  I  have  a  good 
pen,  I  will  write  to  him,  and  this  shall  soon  be  set 
about.  Best  greetings  to  him  for  to-day  from  me,  if 
you  are  writing  to  him. 

What  continual  delight  the  Neue  Zeitschrift  fur 
Musik  always  affords  me,  when  I  open  my  postal 
copy,  and  read  "  Chamber-  and  Home-music !  "- 
The  very  title  annoys  me.  When  I  have  got  over 
this  annoyance,  I  naturally  go  on  reading  with  great 
pleasure ;  thus  I  accustom  myself  to  the  ruin  of 
my  nerves  :  one  might,  however,  use  them  to  better 
purpose ! — 

You  must  have  Hafts  and  Rausse  bound  together : 
the  fire-  and  the  water-prophet :  won't  there  be  a 
hissing  ! — 

But — God  bless  you  !  To-day  is  the  confederate 
day  of  penitence,  and  during  the  past  week  the  south 


TO    UHLIG.  269 

wind  has  been  raging  in  a  manner  to  destroy  even  the 
devil's  nerves  ! — 

Farewell,  you  favourite  of  my  wife's  !    (No  joke !) 
Greet,  think,  fiddle,  and  soon  write  again  to 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  September  igth. 

82. 

BEST  FELLOW  AND  FRIEND  ! 

A  fair  is  being  held  in  Zurich,  and  a  foreign 
linen-merchant  brought  such  excellent  and  ridiculously 
cheap  linen  to  market,  that  the  Wagner  couple  could 
not  resist  realizing  a  wish  they  had  long,  but  vainly, 
cherished,  to  reform  their  very  much-reduced  washing. 
I  had  already  done  everything  that  appeared  feasible  to 
get  in  honoraria  in  arrears,  but  I  so  definitely  counted 
on  a  prompt  settlement  on  the  part  of  the  Leipzig 

S ,  that,  unsuspecting  man    as  I    am,  I    not  only 

gave  away  my  whole  stock  of  louis  d'or,  but  also 
gave  my  wife  permission  to  spend  all  her  house-keep- 
ing money,  in  order  to  make  thorough  use  of  the 
really  unique  opportunity  for  thoroughly  fitting  our- 
selves out  with  linen  at  an  exceptionally  cheap  rate. 
Consider,  then,  what  a  crime  you  have  committed  by 
taking  the  Leipzig  affair  in  so  easy-going  a  manner  ! 
After  I  had  waited  a  full  week  for  the  Leipzig  money, 
amid  ever-irtcreasing  lamentations  on  my  wife's  part 
over  her  empty  housekeeping  purse,  there  comes 
at  last  your  letter  of  yesterday,  treating  this  matter 
with  such  cold,  calm  composure,  and  opening  up  the 
prospect  of  seeing  the  matter  settled  in  a  week  ! — Well, 


270  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

heaven  will  teach  me  how  to  bear  even  that!  But 
may  it  enlighten  you,  and  always  keep  you  in  the  under- 
standing that  in  money-matters  I  only  recognize  the 
equation:  M.  M.  o  =  120.  Besides  Leipzig,  I  now 
definitely  expect  money  only  from  Frankfort ;  excuses 
have  been  made  to  me  from  there  on  account  of  the 
change  of  directorship.  Dusseldorf,  in  paying,  an- 
nounced to  me,  that  they  had  sent  the  postal  receipt  to 
Dresden  for  your  inspection  :  I  therefore  held  it  quite 
unnecessary  to  say  anything  to  you  about  the  receipt 
of  this  money.  Probably  Riga  also  will  give  an  order  ; 
Cologne  appears  unable  to  raise  the  ten  louis  d'or. 
For  the  rest,  I  am  of  opinion  that  the  score-storm  has 
come  to  an  end  for  the  present.  If  by  Christmas 
Tannhauser  has  succeeded  in  a  few  places,  the  opera 
will  probably  be  wanted  for  other  theatres  during 
the  second  half  of  the  winter.  Previous  to  that  I 
think  you  will  have  a  little  rest,  on  which  I  heartily 
congratulate  you.  I  am  sorry  for  X. :  if  I  could  suppose 
that  my  pamphlet  had  at  the  same  time  instructed  him, 
the  fright  would  have  been  only  salutary  for  him ;  but 
as  there  is  not  the  slightest  hope  of  this,  the  whole 
thing  must  have  appeared  to  him  nothing  but  a  humili- 
ation, that  I  caused  him  with  a  certain — and  for  him 
useless — cruelty,  and  for  which  I  cannot  for  the  life  of 
me  understand  how  he  will  set  about  forgiving  me. 
For  me,  it  was  a  necessity  to  protest  against  the 
Dresden  performance  of  Tannhanser,  and  against  the 
opinion  that  it  had  satisfied  me  ;  this  was  still  tingling 
in  all  my  limbs. 

Concerning  Rockel,  inquire  of  H artels  whether  they 
have  sent  to  Waldheim  the  things  (three  opera-poems, 


TO    UHLIG.  271 

and  pianoforte  score  of  Lohengrin)  ordered  or  asked  for 
by  R.'s  sister  ?  If  they  have,  then  inquiry  would  have 
to  be  made  at  W.,  as  to  what  had  become  of  them ; 
and  with  this  I  have  already  commissioned  R.'s  wife, 
so  that  you  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  it.  Only 
if  Hartels  have  not  sent,  I  would  ask  you  to  see  that 
Frau  Rockel  in  Weimar  receives  the  "  three  opera- 
poems  "  (for  her  husband)  :  not  the  pianoforte  edition, 
for  I  have  already  sent  the  score. 

With  regard  to  a  notice  about  Berlin,  do  be  most 
careful !  The  very  passage  from  my  letter  to  my 
brother,  of  which  you  wish  to  make  public  use,  was 
one  which  my  brother  hesitated  to  communicate  to 
v.  Hulsen,  through  fear  of  offending  him.  How  sur- 
prised would  this  intendant  now  be  to  learn  of  this 
suppressed  passage  through  a  public  paper  !  It  might 
appear  more  hostile  than  I  had  really  meant  it  to  be  ; 
I  should  therefore  be  glad  to  hear  your  notice  were 
not  yet  printed,  and  that  you  could  modify  it  in  con- 
formity with  my  communication. 

Your  last  "Chamber-  and  Home-music"  article  I 
read  with  much  interest :  perhaps,  though,  you  might 
have  ventured  to  show  up  and  call  attention  to  some 
more  foolish  mannerisms,  besides  this — certainly  most 
characteristic — cadence — trick  (Schlusstnoment).  When 
you  attacked  male  part-singing,  it  was  a  great  conso- 
lation to  me :  write  something  wholesale  about  it 
one  day,  and  point  out  to  the  cunning  blockheads,  that 
in  modern  male-singing  there  is  revealed  no  momentum 
coming  from  below  upwards,  but  one  coming  down 
from  above,  and  indeed  "  coming  down  "  in  every  sense 
of  this  word.  In  order  to  show  what  one  may  expect 


2/2  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

from  this  male  musical  mess,  ask  that  one  member  should 
come  forward,  and  sing  something :  from  the  faint- 
hearted and  pitiful  bearing  of  this  individual,  you 
may  then  conclude  with  what  filth  the  whole  thing 
is  kneaded  together,  letting  itself  have  howling  a  quatre 
drummed  into  it  by  schoolmasters,  and  thereby  de- 
veloping new  art  germs  for  the  future ! 

Pray  do  this.  In  consequence  of  a  chill,  I  have  been 
seized  with  a  very  bad  catarrh  :  if  I  could  properly 
nurse  it,  I  might  promise  myself  some  good  from  it; 
but  just  now,  I  am  again  saddled  with  a  virtuoso, 
Vieuxtemps,  whom  I  know  and  like  well  of  old,  and 
in  his  company  I  must  daily  spend  my  time.  With 
him  is  Liszt's  agitator,  my  Parisian  acquaintance  Belloni. 
From  the  latter,  I  learn  for  the  first  time  how  it 
happened  that  the  Parisian  newspapers  fell  upon  me 
in  so  solemn  and  so  terrible  a  way.  Belloni  was 
ordered  to  spread  broadcast  in  Paris  Liszt's  pamphlets 
on  my  operas,  and  naturally  there  arose  a  halloo  in 
the  camp  of  Israel.  Belloni  tells  me  now  that  my 
name  at  the  present  moment  is  famous  in  Paris  beyond 
belief,  and  that  I  have  only  to  go  there  to  be  certain  that 
scandal  would  arise.  I  had  really  already  conceived  the 
idea  of  taking  my  wife  to  Paris  this  winter — if  there 
were  enough  money — for  a  few  weeks'  amusement,  etc., 
and  if  I  could  manage  the  expense.  I  thought  of 
engaging  an  orchestra  for  a  while — entirely  for  myself, 
and  a  few  friends — and  having  some  things  from  Lohen- 
grin played  over,  so  that  for  once,  at  least,  I  might  hear 
something  from  it.  This  fuss  naturally  makes  the  plan 
a  doubtful  pleasure. 

Yesterday  I  saw  a  beautiful  little  estate  :  if  I  only 


TO    UHLIG.  2/3 

could  have  it !  Tell  that  to  Liittichau  !  I  have  sent 
a  short  answer  to  Franz.  If  I  could  only  get  a  little 
agreeable  rest.  Yesterday,  a  young  lady  told  me  what 
would  cure  me :  she  was  very  bold,  and  was  right. 
Heavens,  what  a  downright  stupid  fellow  I  am,  to  be 
such  a  crotchety  beast !  But  so  'tis  ! — 

Farewell  for  to-day,  Siegmund,  father  of  Siegfried ! 
Study  Hafis  !  That  is  my  advice  to  you  ! 

Adieu. 

Your 

R.  W. 

ZURICH,  September  2jth.  "52. 

Here  you  have  a  couple  of  epigrams,  a  la  Schiller- 
Goethe,  which  might  be  used  as  mottoes  : 

I.  This  is  music  to  think  over.    So  long  as  one  listens 
to  it,  one  remains  cold  as  ice ;  only  four  or  five  hours 
afterwards  does  it  produce  the  right  effect. 

II.  Superscription  for  melodies: 

"  Chill  and  heartless  is  the  song,  but  singer  and 
player  are  politely  requested  to  fill  it  to  the  brim  with 
feeling  ! " 

S3- 
DEAR  FRIEND, 

Sometimes  everything  seems  bewitched,  and  I 
only  need  desire  a  moment's  luxury  to  be  certain  that  a 
box  on  the  ears  will  at  once  remind  me  of  my  proper 
place  in  this  world.  I  wrote  to  you  lately  how  it  was 
that  now,  above  all  times,  I  was  looking  anxiously  for 
money :  good.  To-day  W.'s  letter  arrives,  which 
announces  to  me,  that  having  taken  cognizance  of  the 
Guide  to  the  performance  of  Tannhciuser,  the  Leipzig 

18 


274  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

theatre  must  give  up  that  opera  :  that  the  score  had  been 
sent  back  to  you — good  !  Then  of  a  sudden  my  wife 
strikes  in  with  a  lament  that  to-day  is  already  the  first  of 
October,  and  that  she  is  in  despair  at  not  being  able  to 
send  the  rent-money  to  her  parents  !  That,  indeed,  is 
the  hardest  case  of  all ;  for  the  moment  7  have  no  money, 
and  if  Frankfort  does  not  send  soon  I  shall  be  in  a  sorry 
plight.  Now  you  spoke  to  me  about  your  children's 
money-boxes,  of  a  father-in-law  who  would  help  in  case 
of  need,  etc.  Do  say  if  you  could  advance  me  ten  thalers 
until  the  beginning  of  November  (when  you  will  again 
receive  R.'s  money  for  me),  and  give  them  in  my  name 
to  my  mother-in-law. — That  was  the  first  idea  that 
occurred  to  me.  If  you  cannot,  perhaps  I  may  light  on 
another  expedient.  It  is  really  too  absurd  that  I  should 
be  just  now  in  such  a  fix  :  that  ridiculously-cheap-linen 
affair  is  the  cause  of  it  all.  If  I  could  only  conquer  my 
propensity  for  buying  bargains  ! 

The  Leipzigers  are  a  nice  lot !  Master  Rietz  has  not 
managed  even  to  write  a  single  line.  Well,  they  might 
all  be  carried  off  in  a  sack,  for  aught  I  care  !  Good 
riddance  to  them  ! 

Belloni  is  again  giving  me  plenty  to  do  :  he  particularly 
wants  me  to  go  to  Paris,  where  he  says  people  would 
now  make  a  mighty  fuss  about  me.  As  he  cannot  attain 
his  end  in  any  other  way,  he  is  trying  to  tempt  me  with 
Tannhanser  in  French  for  the  Grand  Opera. 

Herwegh,  who  also  is  much  in  favour  of  that,  wishes 
to  make  the  prose  translation.  One  thing  sets  my  blood 
a-tingling :  Roger  (so  far  as  I  know  him)  would  be  the 
only  singer  who  could  play  Tannhauscr  to  my  heart's 
content :  he  is  the  right  sort  of  man,  and,  besides,  under- 


TO    UHLIG.  275 

stands  German.  And  Johanna,  too,  in  Paris  :  you  see 
something  is  being  whispered  about — but  anyhow  I  won't 
give  an  answer  for  the  present.  Keep  the  whispering 
all  to  yourself! 

You  know  that  I  have  renounced  belief. — Shall  I  not 
soon  receive  a  letter  from  you  again  ?  Only  write  some 
amusing  tale,  something  real  good:  you're  a  hand  at 
telling  fibs.  Farewell,  and ! 

(Peps  is  now  playing  the  bassoon.) 

These  are  the  wishes  of 

Your  affectionate  ami, 

R.  W. 

October  1st,  '52. 

84. 

MAN  AND  BENEFACTOR, 
Two  lines  ! 

To-day  I  receive  a  letter  from  lawyer  Steche  in  Leipzig, 
who  tells  me  that  W.  has  also  replied  to  him,  that  the 
score  has  already  been  sent  back  ;  Steche  still  has  doubts 
about  it,  as  W.  is  known  to  be  a  liar.  You,  too,  do  not 
write  to  me  ?  If  you  have  received  the  score,  well  and 
good  :  if  not,  let  Steche  (or  Brendel)  know  at  once,  so 
that  it  may  be  got  in.  Sulzer  thought  W.  imagined  that 
I  should  write  to  him  again,  and  come  down  a  peg  or 
two  :  it  would  be  funny  if  he  really  expected  that ! — 
Cologne  announces  the  ten  louis  d'or  for  me  between 
the  2Oth  and  24th  of  October,  and  requests  at  the  same 
time  to  have  the  score  got  ready.  Good — but  not  without 
a  postal  receipt ! 

I  am  pleased  with  Schindelmeisser  :  now  he  has  read 
my  Guide  he  will  begin  the  study  of  Tannhduser  afresh, 


276  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

and  in  the  right  way.     That  sounds  quite  different  from 
the  Leipzig  folk ! 

I  am  most  eager  for  the  continuation  of  your  last 
"  choice  reading  "  :  to-day's  opening  against  Hagen  has 
my  full  sympathy.  I  have  been  amused  to  find  that — 
in  spite  of  all  the  blowing-up  I  gave  the  departed  M tiller 
about  careless  correction — a  fault  has  so  ensconced  itself 
in  the  Programme  to  the  gth  Symphony  that  even  the 
Zeitschrift  fur  Musik  reprints  it.  The  quotation  from 
Tieck  should  be  : — 

"Bald  siegend  aus  den  Wogen  ruft," 

instead  of  which  the  printers  jog  along  with  their  : — 
"  Bald  siegend  den  Wogen  ruft "  (without  "  aus  "). 

0  you  unprincipled  brood  ! 

Johanna  lately  sent  me  her  portrait,  which  is  really 
excellent !  I  am  delighted  with  it ! 

1  hear  Schnorr  is  now  painting  you  for  a  Nibelungen 
sheet ;  is  that  true  ?     Have  you  become  a  giant  ? 

I  will  write  nothing  to  you  about  my  work  !  It  goes 
slowly,  but  well ! 

Farewell,  and  healthier  than  I  :  I  shall  soon  go  mad. 
Greetings  to  August  Burck  ! 

Always  your  celebrated 

R.  W. 

ZURICH,  October  $th,  '52. 

85. 
BEST  FRIEND, 

I  really  do  not  know  how  to  answer  your  im- 
mense letter  in  a  worthy  manner.  The  reason  why  I 
wrote  to  you  to-day — without  pressing  occasion — is, 
after  all,  this :  that  I  wish  to  make  a  determined  break 


TO    UHLIG.  277 

in  my  poetical  work,  so  as  not,  by  uninterrupted  toil, 
to  fall  again  into  the  fatal  condition  from  the  painful 
effects  of  which  I  have  scarcely  yet  recovered  a  little. 
But  letter-writing  thoroughly  >  exhausts  me,  as  I  have 
now  found  out,  and  you  may  consider  it  a  high  honour 
if  I  even  fill  this  sheet.  Were  it  not  for  the  continued 
bad  weather  I  should  have  gone  off  for  a  few  days' 
tramp.  I  had  already  mapped  out  a  tour  to  Glarus 
and  Schwyz.  However,  with  this  perpetual  grey  sky 
and  damp  atmosphere,  I  must  give  up  all  idea  of  a 
pleasure-trip  ;  though,  even  in  the  pouring  rain,  I  keep 
up  my  midday  walk  of  at  most  three  or  four  leagues 
with  a  sorry  sort  of  enjoyment.  Thus  I  come  to  the 
chapter  of  health,  and  I  must  tell  you  at  once  that  your 
account  of  your  own  condition  has  really  given  me  no 
comfort.  Believe  me,  dearest  friend,  you  exact  too 
much  from  yourself.  With  your  extremely  delicate 
constitution  you  ought  to  lead  quite  a  different  kind  of 
life  and  occupation  if  you  would  prosper.  You  "  serve  " 
to  your  own  hurt  !  I  get  my  strongest  proof  of  what 
suits  you  from  the  fact  that  you  were  so  well  last  year 
when  you  came  to  Switzerland,  and  lounged  about  in 
proper  style.  From  that  you  can  see  what  does  you 
good.  Your  dispassionate  temperament  preserves  you, 
in  the  contact  with  your  manner  of  life  and  occupation, 
from  violent  convulsive  attacks,  such  as  I  from  time  to 
time  am  subject  to  ;  but,  instead  of  that,  you  pine  away, 
imperceptibly,  but  chronically.  Man  cannot  live  by 
irony  alone  ;  yet  in  everything  which  you  attempt  or  do 
that  is  the  only  thing  which  can  help  you.  You  ought 
to  be  able  to  lead  a  pleasant,  easy-going  life,  entirely 
according  to  your  inclination.  How  to  accomplish 


278  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

that  is  a  matter  for  you  to  study  as  speedily  as  pos- 
sible.    How   I  wish   I    already  had  a  great    practical 
success,    to    be   able   to  assist  you  to  that  which  you 
cannot  afford  out  of  your  own  means  alone  !     For  the 
present,  as  I  cannot  help  you,  I  can  only  take  the  next 
best  course,  and  determine  you — formally  backed  up 
by  medical  opinion — to  get  a  change  in  3rour  appoint- 
ment,   so   that   you   might   have   (at   least)  two  clear 
months'  leave  of  absence  every  summer.     If  you  cannot 
obtain  this,  or  if  an  attempt  is  made  to  squeeze  some- 
thing out  of  this  minimum,  then  give  up  entirely  your 
present  position,  in  which  you  have  the  least  facility  of 
'all  for  getting  away,  and  become  again  simple  fiddler, 
yet  with  the  silent  resolve  to  take  things  easily,   as 
others  (ti  la  K.)  do — i.e.,  when  you  find  fiddling  over- 
taxes you,  or  that  disgust  for  it  is  becoming  too  strong 
for  you  to  resist,  then  get  on  a  loose  end  for  weeks  or 
months,  just  because  you  could  not  endure  it  any  longer. 
But  in  summer  take  three  months'  leave  of  absence, 
and  when,  finally,  people  begin  to  kick  a  bit — well,  get 
a  pension,  come  to  me  with  your  bag  and  baggage,  and 
we  together,  with  your  whole  family,  will  manage  some- 
how or  other.     Surely  you  will  not  be  so  foolish  as  to 
be  prevented  by  any  feeling  of  ambition.     I  even  hope 
that  in  this  matter  you  have  no  scruples  of  honour,  for 
these  conditions  have  nothing  in  common  with  honour. 
Therefore    I    urge   upon   you,    give   up   your    present 
position  ;  if  you  cannot  arrange  it  quite  to  suit  your 
own  ease — and  with  //  this  is  absolutely  impossible — 
then    make  yourself  at  ease  in  whatever  service  you 
take,  even  if  your  loitering  should  end  in  your  having 
a  pension  thrust  upon  you.     This  is  the  only  possible 


TO    UHLIG.  279 

way  of  keeping  yourself  right.  Without  it,  in  all  pro- 
bability, you  must  soon  be  quite  used  up.  Reflect 
whether  it  can  possibly  be  otherwise.  I  entreat  you  to 
give  up  this  abject  feeling  of  duty.  Be  unbeseeming — 
that  alone  can  save  you  !  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  the 
wet  packing  has  been  of  good  service  for  your  hoarse- 
ness. Take  care  of  yourself !  So  long  as  this  hoarseness 
lasts,  give  up  all  official  work.  /  bind  you  to  this,  if  you 
have  any  love  for  me.  Do  it  for  my  sake :  go  gaily  off 
till  your  throat  is  perfectly  well  again.  I  know  how  it 
was  that  some  time  back  Lehrs,  one  of  my  dearest 
friends  in  Paris,  came  to  grief.  The  poor  wretch,  who 
was  afflicted  in  a  similar  manner,  could  not  stop  work 
and  give  himself  up  to  pleasant  idlings,  when  he  could 
easily  have  been  cured.  Do  what  I  tell  you  !  I  shall 
write  no  more  to  you,  unless  you  can  announce  to  me 
in  your  next  letter  that  you  have  said  farewell  to  all 
service  for  the  present.  Think  !  this  must  be  done, 
whatever  happens  !  Listen  to  my  entreaty ! 

I  much  long  to  go  to  Paris,  to  make  personal 
acquaintance  with  Lindemann.  For  the  present 
Hcrwegh  is  my  physician.  His  physical  and  physio- 
logical knowledge  is  great,  and  in  every  respect  he  is 
more  sympathetic  to  me  than  any  doctor.  In  suffer- 
ings such  as  ours  none  but  a  friend  can  advise  us,  and 
a  physician  only  if  he  is  this  as  well. 

I  also  have  been  in  a  bad  state  as  regards  my 
stomach,  and  this  was  chiefly  the  result  of  that  cursed 
77/27£-drinking.  I  now  share  the  conviction  of  all  who 
regard  milk  diet  as,  folly.  Milk  is  the  food  of  sucklings, 
yes,  and  drunk  warm  from  the  mother's  breast ;  but 
every  grown-up  suckling  feeds  on  developed  and 


28O  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

intermediary  substances.  No  animal  drinks  cold  milk, 
neither  does  any  natural  man.  The  cattle  in  the  Alps 
eat  cheese  or  a  fermented  drink  prepared  from  milk. 
How  can  we  be  so  foolish  as  to  offer  to  the  same 
stomach  which,  on  the  one  hand,  takes  prepared  food 
(even  prepared  meat),  this  other  entirely  raw  substance  ? 
And  we,  too,  with  our  terribly  intense  brain  activity, 
and  the  whole  manner  of  our  life  !  The  right  thing  for 
us  is — enjoy  everything,  but  within  the  bounds  of  mode- 
ration, as  taught  by  self-observation  and  experience. 
As  coffee  (generally)  is  hurtful  to  my  nerves,  I  take 
roast  meat — preferably  game — early  in  the  day,  with 
a  draught  or  two  of  good  wine.  Your  oatmeal  gruel 
does  not  please  me  :  do  take  game — hare !  Game, 
while  providing  a  maximum  of  nourishment,  requires  a 
minimum  of  digestive  power  ;  and  it  is  imperative  for 
you  to  gain  strength  through  nourishment. 

My  warm  baths,  of  24°,  for  half  an  hour  before 
going  to  bed,  suit  me  well  now.  It  would  have  been 
all  up  with  me  but  for  this  bath.  It  soothes  my  nerves, 
and  always  gives  me  sound  sleep.  Lindemann  advised 
me,  if  I  wished  to  recover  quickly,  to  take  a  half-hour's 
bath  of  the  same  kind  in  the  morning,  instead  of  my 
present  short  bath  in  water  chilled  to  20°.  I  wet 
my  head  (at  every  bath)  repeatedly  with  cold  water. 
Perhaps  I  may  yet  have  recourse  to  the  full  early  bath. 
Our  hydropathic  physicians,  collectively  and  indi- 
vidually, do  not  know  enough  about  nervous  disorders. 
To  constitutions  like  mine  warm  baths  alone  are  of  any 
use,  while  cool  ones  entirely  ruin  them.  If  once  I  can 
get  my  nerves  right,  I  shall  be  quite  a  different  man. 

Well,  enough  of  this.      It  would  be  enough  to  fill  the 


TO    UHLIG.  28l 

whole  sheet,  to  which,  however,  I  must  add  one  thing 
more.  This  very  moment  the  postman  interrupted  me, 
and  brought  me  an  immense  delight — a  letter  from  the 
Breslau  Capellmeister  about  the  extraordinary  success 
which  the  first  performance  of  Tannhduser  has  had 
there.  The  man  writes  quite  beside  himself  with  joy 
and  satisfaction,  and  I  am  so  enraptured  by  it  that  I 
cannot  write  any  more  to-day  to  you,  as  the  quiet  for 
that  has  quite  gone  from  me,  and  this  time  in  so 
pleasant  a  manner. 
More  to-morrow. 

October  llth. 

You  have  probably  received  the  Breslau  news  direct. 
How  much  it  rejoiced  me  I  told  you  yesterday.  I 
will  now  conclude  the  letter  with  a  few  quasi-business 
matters. 

I  had  thought  by  now  to  receive  news  from  you 
about  the  Leipzig  matter.  Perhaps  it  may  come  to- 
day. I  mean  whether  the  score  is  sent  back. 

The  Dresden  Tannhduser  is  no  advertisement  for 
me :  they  may  even  do  there  what  they  like  with  the 
ending !  Dresden  can  be  of  no  more  use  to  me,  as  it 
has  never  been  of  use — it  has,  indeed,  harmed  me  ;  but 
it  cannot  even  do  that  any  more.  It  can  only  sink 
deeper  into  my  indifference.  Enough ;  the  remem- 
brances of  the  Dresden  Tannhduser  are  a  torture  to  me. 
Now,  with  regard  to  the  new  performance,  I  have 

arrived  at  a  : completely.  So  give  yourself  no 

trouble  about  the  ending — at  least,  not  for  my  sake.  If 
you  wish  to  remonstrate  with  L.  for  his  insolence  to  me, 
let  this  be  a  matter  quite  apart. 


282  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

I  enclose  the  correction  of  the  "  leap "  in  the  vocal 
part.  You  will  recognize  my  astounding  talent  for 
polyphony 

If  only  Brendel  could  alter  the  title :  Chamber-  and 
Home-Music !  My  fate  compels  me  to  take  into  my 
hand  every  fresh  number  of  the  paper.  But  this  super- 
scription is  the  ruin  of  me  :  it  is  every  time  a  heavy 
blow  to  me ! 

I  have,  Heaven  knows,  nothing  more  to  tell  you.  So 
I  will  wait  for  the  postman :  perhaps  I  may  then  find 
something  further  to  say  to  you. 

(Lachner  is  seen  to.  J.  Schaffer  has  written  to  me. 
When  you  write  to  him  give  best  greetings  from  me, 
and  make  excuses  for  me  if  I  should  not  answer  at 
once.  That  kind  of  letter  always  exhausts  me.  Would 
a  score  of  Tannhauser  be  of  any  service  to  him  and  to 
Franz  ?  Copies — old  version — have  you  enough  in 
hand  ? ) 

Well,  nothing  has  come ;  only  your  fugue.  I  must 
carefully  study  it  before  I  reply  to  you  about  it. 
Heavens  !  you  clever  fellow  !  Fugues  and  maps  !  But 
with  your  map  you  will  not  entrap  me  home.  I  am  no 
longer  a  kee  Saxon  !  But  I  have  been  nearly  every- 
where there.  I  have  Lohengrin ned  at  Dittersbach  (on 
Schonhoe). 

I  should  have  liked  to  send  a  longer  answer,  but 
time  is  up,  as  in  the  meantime  I  had  to  write  to  Berlin. 
Johanna  had  written  a  long  letter. 

Farewell,  and  soon  send  me  good  news  about  yourself, 
especially  that  you  will  obey  me — do  you  hear  ? 

Good-bye  !  Your 

October  \2th,  '52.  R-    W. 


TO    UHLIG.  283 

86. 
BEST  FRIEND, 

You  must  make  much  of  the  fact  that  I  write  a 
few  lines  to  you  to-day  !  I  wished  to  work,  but  found 
myself  in  such  a  bad  state  that  I  was  forced  to  spend 
the  whole  of  the  forenoon  on  the  lazy-couch,  half  asleep 
and  half  awake.  A  change  must  be  brought  about : 
something  must  happen  to  tear  me  from  this  mere  world 
of  thought !  This  occupying  myself  with  art  par  distance 
is  death  to  me.  No  joy  is  lasting — not  even  the  Breslau 
news — for  I  cannot  satisfy  myself  with  mere  "  news." 
What  the  change  shall  be  I  cannot  conceive,  for  not  at 
any  price  would  I  apply  for  an  amnesty  !  But  this  I 
know,  a  flying  trip  to  Weimar  or  Berlin,  to  hear  my 
operas  and  do  something  real  for  them — that  would 
have  a  highly  beneficial  effect  on  me. 

I  thank  you  for  seeing  to  my  mother-in-law :  let  a 
Tannhauser  ticket  reward  your  good  wife  for  her  trouble  ! 
When  you  receive  the  R.'s  money  for  me,  take  at  once 
twenty  thalers  from  it,  and  give  them  to  the  old  Planers. 
Don't  forget  this !  Don't  be  uneasy  about  my  present 
money-wants  ;  but  you  are  squandering  a  fortune  on 
your  letters  !  Whatever  does  your  wife  say  to  it  ? 

Everything  is  in  the  best  order  with  Berlin  :  they  are 
even  thinking  of  soon  following  up  with  Lohengrin. 
The  Princess  of  Prussia  saw  it  again  lately  (October 
2nd)  at  Weimar,  and  has  probably  made  things  hot  for 
Hulsen.  You  have  done  well  to  write  to  S. :  the  score 
must  b6  snatched  from  the  rascal's  teeth.  I  have  declared 
to  S.  that  on  no  terms  do  I  now  give  my  consent  to 
Tannhauser  in  Leipzig,  so  long  at  least  as  the  present 
theatrical  conditions  are  in  force. 


284  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

What  you  write  to  me  about  X.  again  begins  to  touch 
me  :  above  all  am  I  affected  by  the  adherence  to  the  new 
ending,  which  X.  never  liked. 

Your  Miniature  choice-reading  I  have  not  specially 
mentioned  because  I  found  the  matter  altogether  too 
trifling  and  commonplace  :  I  have  nothing  to  say  about  it. 

Liszt  sent  me  lately  at  my  request  my  Faust  Overture, 
with  a  delicate  and  intelligent  remark,  a  wish  for  some- 
thing lacking  in  it.  Remind  me  to  tell  you  about  this 
another  time  ;  to-day  I  feel  exhausted. 

I  much  covet  your  soda-water  machine  :  I  will  inquire 
whether  I  can  get  one  here,  if  not,  you  must  send  me 
one.  We  have  already  made  exchanges  in  matters  of 
medicine  and  diet.  I  am  very  glad  that  your  hoarseness 
has  gone.  Now  there  only  remains  my  last  orders  about 
your  appointment. 

In  the  abjectness  of  our  life  and  of  our  occupation  lies 
at  the  present  the  determining  cause  of  our  prostration. 
In  spite  of  Schlurk,  I  will  never  become  acquainted 
with  the  "  Ritter  vom  Geiste."  In  that  matter  I  stick  to 
a  terribly  severe  diet !  I  have  not  even  read  Heine's 
Romanzero.  I  anticipate  my  complete  ruin  if  I  took  to 
that  sort  of  thing. 

My  principal  care  is  still  the  Nibelungen  poem  :  this 
is  the  only  thing  that  really  and  powerfully  elevates 
me  whenever  I  give  myself  up  to  it.  The  thought 
of  posterity  is  repugnant  to  me,  and  yet  this  vain 
illusion  comes  before  me  unawares  from  time  to  time, 
when  my  poem  passes  from  my  soul  into  the  world. 
All  I  can  and  all  I  have  is  contained  in  this  one 
thought  :  to  be  able  to  carry  it  through  and  have  it 
performed  ! !  ! 


TO    UHLIG.  285 

I  have  now  decided  on  the  titles  :  Der  Ring  des 
Nibelungen,  a  festival  play  (Biihnenfestspiel\  to  be  per- 
formed in  three  days  and  an  introductory  evening.— 
Introductory  evening  : — Das  Rheingold.  First  day  : — 
Die  Walkiire.  Second  day: — Der  Junge  Siegfried. 
Third  day  : — Sieg fried1  s  Tod.  The  introductory  evening 
is  really  a  complete  drama,  fairly  rich  in  action  :  I  have 
finished  quite  half  of  it.  The  Walkiire,  entirely.  The 
two  Siegfrieds,  however,  must  still  be  thoroughly  revised, 
especially  Siegfried's  Death.  But  then — it  will  be  some- 
thing !  ! 

I  was  fearfully  depressed  at  not  being  able  to  work 
to-day  !  How  willingly  would  I  have  gone  off  for  a 
few  days,  but  the  weather  is  too  bad — quite  December 
2nd! 

If  there  is  anything  I  have  not  noticed,  or  which  I 
have  forgotten,  please  forgive  me  !  And  make  my 
excuses  also  to  J.  Schaffer  ! — 

Frau  R.,  of  course,  had  written  to  me,  as  always,  in 
the  kindest  manner.  We  visited  the  Kummers  at 
Tiefenau  near  Elgg,  which  delighted  them :  but  it  is  a 
fearful  place.  Heaven  preserve  me  from  such  a  water- 
establishment  !  I  would  rather  burn  away  in  fire — 
best  of  all  in  that  of  Hafis.  Do  study  Hafis  carefully  : 
he  is  the  greatest  and  most  sublime  philosopher. 
Certainly  no  other  writer  has  given  the  great  question  so 
sure  and  irrefutable  an  answer.  There  is  only  one  thing 
— that  which  lie  commends  :  and  all  beside  is  not  a 
farthing's  worth,  however  high  and  noble  it  may  call 
itself. 

Something  similar  to  this  will  also  be  shown  in  my  own 
Nibelungen. 


286  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Farewell !     Be  precious  cunning,  and  take  things  in 
a  wickedly  easy  way  ! 

Ever  your  friend,  who  truly  prizes  and  honours  you, 

R.  W. 

October  \ifh,  '52. 

87. 

DEAR  FRIEND, 

You  will  only  get  a  few  lines  to-day.  After 
some  interruption  (through  indisposition)  I  am  now 
bent  on  devoting  all  my  working  power  to  the  com- 
pletion of  the  Rheingold,  and  I  will  not  make  a  break 
by  long  letter  writing  until  I  have  finished  :  this  will 
happen,  however,  in  the  present  week,  and  at  the  end 
of  it  I  therefore  promise  you  a  real  letter.  So  you 
must  have  patience  with  me.— 

So  to-day  (after  my  working  time)  only  two  words  ! 

Health.  I  am  glad  that  I  have  alarmed  you  ;  for 
this  was  just  my  aim.  More  about  this  shortly. 

Business.  Send  to  Michaelson  the  score  for  Riga, 
with  four  copies  of  the  Guide  to  performance  :  they  are 
paid  for.  If  he  writes  to  you  about  Rostock  (!  !),  and 
encloses  a  postal  certificate,  send  likewise  a  score  and 
four  pamphlets.  He  asks  me  besides  for  some  books 
of  words ;  send  him  half  a  dozen.  Tell  X.  to  be 
always  on  the  look-out  about  the  books  of  words  ;  he 
ought  at  once  to  assert  his  rights  at  each  theatre. 
(Has  he  not  done  this  at  Wiesbaden  ?) 

For  Heaven's  sake  spare  me  the  threatened  vouchers 
for  your  disbursements  !  Pedant,  what  am  I  think  of 
you  ?  Also  I  do  not  want  the  Dresden  Tannhdnser 
literature. 

Neither  do  I  want  the  machine :    there  is  here  an 


TO    UHLIG.  287 

improvement  on  it  by  Liebig.  You  acted  quite 
sensibly  in  keeping  part  of  the  money  :  I  had 
forgotten  it. — 

See  to  three  tickets,  third  tier,  for  the  next  Tannhauser 
performance,  for  my  wife's  family. — Your  own  is  to  go 
to  the  amphitheatre.  Had  not  a  dressmaker's  assistant 
written  at  once  about  it  to  my  wife,  I  should  have 
known  nothing  whatever  about  the  performance. — 

Do  you  feel  inclined  to  make  the  pianoforte  score  of 
Iphigenia  in  Aulis  from  my  arrangement  (Bcarbcitung)  ? 
I  have  offered  it  to  Hartels. — 

Mosevius  has  \vritten  to  me  in  a  touching  manner ; 
under  his  own  name  he  has  also  written  about  Tann- 
hdnser  in  some  Breslau  paper.  Would  you  like  to 
have  it  ? — 

Nothing  more  to-day  !  Take  for  breakfast  Cacoigna, 
cocoa  purified  from  all  fat :  I  do  so — most  easy  to 
digest  and  very  nourishing. — 

At  the  end  of  the  week,  more  details !  Till  then, 
have  good  courage,  and  hold  in  kind  remembrance 

Your 
R.  W. 

November  6th,  '52. 

88. 
DEAR  FRIEND, 

You  must  lately  have  definitely  expected  a  big 
letter.  I  could  not  write  it.  I  certainly  had  finished 
my  work  by  the  middle  of  last  week ;  yet  I  was  much 
exhausted,  and  as  the  weather  quite  unexpectedly  turned 
fine,  I  made  a  three  days'  excursion  among  the  Alps 
with  Herwegh  and  Wille(a  Hamburger  who  has  settled 
here  by  the  lake)  :  to  Glarus,  Glarnisch,  also  the  Klon 


288  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

valley  and  the  Wallenstadt  lake.  Unfortunately  I  was 
the  worse  for  the  excursion,  as  in  the  first  inn  where 
we  spent  the  night  I  could  not  sleep  at  all,  and  then 
on  the  following  day — in  spite  of  my  terrible  exhaustion 
— for  my  companions'  sake  I  made  a  forced  journey, 
which — like  everything  forced — quite  upset  me.  So  I 
only  now  set  to  work  to  write  my  "  big "  letter :  it 
will  probably  not  be  extraordinarily  "  big,"  for — I 
would  rather  not  force  myself  once  more,  and  with 
my  complete  lack  of  life,  I  have  so  little  worthy  of 
communication. — 

But  first  of  all,  the  "  chapter  of  health." 
Dearest  old  friend,  let  us  be  sensible,  and  calmly 
recognize  that  each  one  of  us  nourishes  within  himself 
the  germs  of  his  own  death,  and  knowing  this,  it  is 
only  a  question  of  warding  off,  as  long  as  possible,  from 
the  body  this  certain  specific  death.  With  me,  for 
example,  everything  points  to  a  death  by  wasting 
of  the  nerves  :  my  special  and  characteristic  mode  of 
life  consists,  to  a  certain  extent,  in  avoiding  the  necessity 
of  this  wasting.  This  death — though  it  finally  result 
from  an  apparently  remote  and  secondary  fatal  illness 
—is  to  me  a  certainty,  as  certain  as  the  speciality  of 
my  life  ;  and  the  only  question  is,  shall  I  fall  a  victim 
sooner  or  later  ?  So  long  as  I  have  still  an  aim  in  life, 
I  wish  to  keep  death  from  my  throat,  and  therefore 
adopt  all  possible  measures  to  preserve  myself.  I 
intentionally  avoid  all  over-exertion,  go  as  much  as 
possible  out  of  the  way  of  over-excitement,  seek  to 
regulate  my  digestion  and  nourishment,  and,  above  all, 
aim  at  the  utmost  comfort,  rest,  and  agreeable  impres- 
sions— so  far  as  lies  in  my  power. 


TO    UHLIG.  289 

That  I  can  endure  for  some  time  yet,  if  I  stick  close 
to  this  diet,  is  what  many  assure  me,  and  what  from 
analogy  seems  credible  to  myself. — Now  look  at  yourself: 
your  whole  long  and  meagre  body  tells  you  that  you  pos- 
sess very  deficient  nutrimentary  powers  :  by  a  foolishly 
inactive  and  sedentary  mode  of  life  in  youth,  you  have 
increased  that  constitutional  defect  to  a  degree  which  is 
now  causing  you  anxiety.  Realize  your  condition,  and 
attack  it  from  the  right  point :  if  you  commence  pro- 
perly, you  are  just  the  man  to  easily  succeed — and  (owing 
to  your  colder  temperament)  easier  than  I — in  forcing 
the  duration  of  your  life,  with  a  little  display  of  energy, 
to  follow  your  own  will.  Look,  above  all,  to  your 
nourishment !  I  am  glad  that  you  are  already  on  the 
right  road.  Simple  nutrient  substances  are  not  for  folk 
of  our  sort  :  we  require  something  complex,  substances 
which  combine  the  greatest  amount  of  nutrient  matter 
with  the  smallest  demand  on  the  digestive  organs.  Our 
rule  should  be  to  eat  often,  little,  and  well,  and  besides,  to 
avoid  every  great  exertion,  even  in  movement ;  while  on 
the  other  hand  studying  comfort  and  agreeable  rest. 
Considering  your  general  state  of  bad  nutrition,  it  is 
natural  that  your  throat  suffers  most,  for  the  throat  is 
the  weakest,  tenderest  organ.  You  lack  (these  are 
Herwegh's  words)  sufficient  fat- formative  power,  and 
you  should  take  everything  that  will  help  to  this,  even 
cod  liver  oil,  which  in  such  cases  is  said  to  have  worked 
wonders. — So  reflect,  best  friend,  that  you  have  your 
health,  your  life,  entirely  in  your  hands !  But  let  go  every 
consideration  which  would  hinder  you  from  the  mode  of 
life  which  to  you  is  a  necessity.  Above  all — this  I 
conjure  you — take  three  months  leave  of  absence  next 

19 


290  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

summer,  and  spend  this  time  with  me  (Franz  is  coming 
also).  Simply  get  a  certificate  from  the  doctor,  that  you 
require  it  :  he  cannot  possibly  refuse  it,  and  then  the 
leave  of  absence  cannot  possibly  be  denied  you.  I  must 
agree  with  you  in  your  unwillingness  to  exchange  your 
official  position :  but  I  can  only  advise  you  to  to  stick  to 
it,  on  the  condition  that  you  know  how  to  subdue  your 
official  conscience,  and  can  thoroughly  make  up  your 
mind  to  take  matters  easily.  Otherwise,  if  the  worst 
comes  to  the  worst,  rely  on  me,  I  mean  on  my  future, 
from  the  success  point  of  view.  With  a  fair  amount  of 
certainty  I  may  venture  to  assume  that  I  may  expect 
good  profits  in  the  course  of  the  next  few  years :  you 
know  the  necessities  of  my  life  are  now  ensured,  and  as 
for  "luxury"  I  earnestly  beg  you  in  advance  to  consider 
yourself  a  sharer  in  that  with  me.  It  would  be  folly 
if  I  were  now  to  fall  a-boasting ;  but  so  much  you  must 
understand,  that  even  now,  as  soon  as  I  was  forewarned 
of  your  exact  situation,  I  could  help  you  right  well.  Now, 
I  merely  mean  that  in  forming  a  resolution,  you  must 
take  into  consideration  this  possibility  also  of  providing 
for  your  life  !  And  for  the  present — enough  of  this  ! — 

I  have  not  much  more  to  tell  you  that  would  need  a 
spun-out  tale. — The  Dresden  "  event "  has  become 
epecially  interesting  to  me,  in  that  from  among  all  my 
"  friends  "  I  have  scarcely  received  any  news  about  it  : 
with  your  exception,  there  was — as  I  said — only  a  dress- 
maker's assistant,  who  informed  my  wife ;  otherwise, 
unless  I  include  the  horrid  correspondence-notes  of  the 
Brockhaus  newspaper,  I  had  no  news  from  any  one ; 
neither  R.  nor  H.,  nor  F.  and  so  on,  has  sent  me  a  line. 

Well,  after  all,  I  do  not  get  much  from  news  of  that 


TO    UHLIG.  291 

sort. — But  I  think  I  can  explain  in  quite  a  way  of  my 
own,  why  F.  and  H.  do  not  write  to  me: — iheD.  A.  Z. 
writes  definitely  about  an  intended  performance  of 
Lohengrin  at  Dresden.  Now,  these  two  old  fellows 
know  that  I  will  not  consent  to  this  performance  :  and, 
so  that  I  may  not  prevent  it,  they  will  not  write  anything 
about  it  to  me,  which  they  would  of  course  have  to  do 
if  they  wrote  to  me  at  all.  But  I  beg  of  you  to  tell  me 
exactly  what  you  can  learn  about  it :  if  it  is  really  so, 
I  am  determined  to  write  to  Liittichau  himself  and  enter 
protest.  I  will  not  have  the  distress  of  knowing  that 
this  opera  is  maltreated  by  K.  or  R.  :  they  shall  not  do 
that  until  Lohengrin  has  been  given  at  other  good  places, 
where  I  can  gain  an  influence  over  the  conductors. — 

My  "  ingratitude  "  might  almost  have  determined  me 
to  draw  the  pen  against  a  third  person  on  this  subject ; 
in  order  to  ask  quite  quietly,  whether  I  had  not  returned 
"thanks"  for  "  benefits  "  received,  through  the  simple 
service  for  which  I  received  them, — through  my  artistic 
activity  in  Dresden :  whether  this  then  was  a  —  —  ? 
etc.,  etc. — 

Only  I  have  no  inclination  any  longer  for  these  stale 
wares  :  it  may  be  otherwise  with  those  who  are  in  the 
thick  of  it ;  but  then  they  are  merely  fine  Dresden 
"  friends."— 

— Schindelmeisser  (who  will  produce  Tannhauser 
on  the  1 3th  November,  for  the  first  time)  causes  me 
great  joy  :  my  Guide  has  had  a  splendid  effect  on  him, 
and  I  believe  his  performance  will  be  a  really  good  one. 
He  writes  me — that  he  is  "  amazed  "  at  this  music,  and 
cannot  find  expressions  of  "rapture"  sufficient  to  de- 
scribe the  revolution  which  is  taking  place  in  him. 


292  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

You  will  have  received  the  Michaelson  commissions  : 
be  prepared  to  receive  an  order  from  Freiburg  in 
Breisgau.  For  there  are  desperate  enthusiasts  of  mine 
there.  Apropos !  If  one  could  keep  a  strict  eye  on 
the  whining  X.  :  from  time  to  time  I  hear  of  an  already 
very  wide  circulation  of  my  pianoforte  scores  !  That 
the  fellow  always  says  he  has  made  no  money  out  of 
it,  really  makes  me  somewhat  suspicious.  My  creditors 
deserve  a  good  hiding,  if  they  do  not  keep  X.  under 
control  :  I  can  do  no  more  in  the  matter  ! — 

Brendel's  Zeitschrift  becomes  more  and  more 
delightful !  Tell  me,  how  can  you  get  consent  to 
your  articles  being  always  so  cut  asunder  ?  With 
the  last  choice  reading  it  was  a  regular  mess ! — How 
can  anything  have  effect  that  way  ?  Even  the  "  Pro- 
gramme" article  he  completely  mutilated  by  this 
dividing  and  interrupting !  I  was  really  sorry  that  you 
did  not  take  Gumbrecht  to  task  for  his  explanation  of 
the  A-majpr  Symphony. — 

— Your  "  Characteristik  "  has  pleased  me  very  much, 
although  it  was  in  fugue  style ;  this  will  set  your  back 
up,  for  that  you  make  your  strong  point  !  But  I  no 
longer  understand  anything  about  fugue :  it  is  no  longer 
point  d'honmur  with  me,  in  itself  it  is  distasteful  to 
me.  It  was  the  musical  life,  the  expression  itself, 
which  pleased  me  most  in  your  composition.  I  cannot 
say  this  to  you  properly. — 

Franz  has  sent  me  his  Lieder ;  as  yet  I  have  not 
looked  at  them,  but  I  am  promising  myself  great 
pleasure  when  I  do. — Please  give  him  best  greetings 
from  me  when  you  write. — 

It  is  astonishing  to  me  how  quiet  Brendel  keeps  over 


TO   UHLIG.  293 

the  Leipzig  Tannhauser  affair  :  yet  this  is  an  occasion  in 
which  one  could  thoroughly  expose  the  whole  miserable- 
ness  of  the  Leipzig  music-makers'  guild.  Hartels  wrote 
to  me  in  great  concern  :  the  director,  etc.,  had  declared 
that  my  operas  contained  insoluble  difficulties,  and 
"  there  were  the  same  complaints  "  (so  said  W.)  "  from 
most  of  the  theatres." — Nice  sort  of  fellows  ! 

Well,  my  soda-water  machine  is  splendid  :  so,  I  am 
satisfied  with  it ! — With  the  little  estate,  it  stands  so — so ! 
I  am  no  longer  thinking  of  purchasing  (and  indeed  for 
many  reasons)  :  but  I  would  willingly  take  on  hire,  for 
a  fairly  long  time,  a  pretty  country  house  with  a  nice 
large  garden.  I  am  on  the  look-out  for  it,  but  can't 
find  anything  suitable  as  yet.  But  I  won't  give  up, 
and  hope  next  summer  to  be  able  to  offer  good  shelter 
to  my  guests. 

Your  packet  (the  great  letter)  has  just  come ;  I  will 
send  for  it  to  the  post-office,  and  then  conclude. 


I  have  read  your  letter,  and  thank  you  heartily. 

I  do  not  find  much  to  answer,  and  as  it  is  twelve 
o'clock,  and  writing  of  an  afternoon  is  impossible  to  me, 
I  will  only  add  a  few  brief  lines  by  way  of  close,  so 
that  it  may  go  off  to-day.  The  Alcibiades  I  will  read 
through  in  the  evening. — The  news  about  your  health 
is  welcome,  and  welcome  as  only  it  can  be.  Think 
above  all  of  leave  of  absence  and  the  Swiss  journey. 
Hartels  have  not  yet  answered  about  Iphigenia  (the 
revised  copy  of  the  score  is  the  one  belonging  to  the 
Dresden  Theatre). — With  regard  to  the  Tannhauser 
news,  I  begin  to  be  struck  with  admiration  at  L.'s 
revolutionary  position  :  it  really  needs  a  sort  of — love 


294  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

of  the  thing,  to  oppose  such  a  storm.  That  the  kernel 
of  the  matter  will  be  brought  out  on  this  occasion, 
makes  this  Dresden  "event"  gradually  interesting  to 
me.  The  ways  of  Providence  are  indeed  wonderful ! — 
Your  vouchers,  my  good  fellow,  will  not  be  looked 
at ! — Farewell  !  Greetings  to  the  wife  ! 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  November  loth,  '$2. 

89. 

DEAR  FRIEND  ! 

The  postman  comes  every  morning  about 
eleven  o'clock ;  I  generally  work  from  nine  o'clock 
up  to  this  time,  and  when  the  letters  arrive  I  am 
already  somewhat  exhausted  and  in  need  of  rest. 
So  is  it  to-day,  when  I  have  just  received  your 
last  letter.  Now,  each  time  I  am  placed  in  the 
dilemma,  of  either  not  answering  at  all,  or — of  doing 
this  as  briefly  as  possible.  If  I  put  it  off,  the  same 
thing  occurs  each  next  day  ;  unless  I  gave  up  my  work 
for  a  whole  morning,  as  happens  when  I  make  up  my 
mind  to  write  a  longish  letter.  (Only  under  extreme 
necessity  do  I  write  a  single  line  between  twelve  o'clock 
and  bed-time.)  I  explain  this  to  you  once  for  all,  so 
that  you  may  explain  to  yourself  why  I  write  briefly 
to  you  when  I  answer  by  return,  which  I  am  always 
glad  to  do,  so  as  to  get  rid  of  what  requires  answering 
and  to  induce  you  to  keep  our  correspondence  going. 

Not  to  forget  small  matters,  I  will  think  of  them 
at  once.  Mosevius  sent  me  his  article  cut  out  of  the 
paper,  so  that  I  do  not  know  where  it  really  comes 
from  :  he  only  told  me  it  was  in  a  Breslau  Conservative 


TO    UHLIG.  295 

paper.  (The  article  in  itself  is,  after  all,  of  no  great 
importance,  but  it  becomes  interesting  through  bearing 
the  signature  of  Mosevius.) — Fabulous  news  has  lately 
reached  me  from  Breslau  :  Michaelson  wrote  a  little 
time  ago,  of  eight  performances  having  taken  place 
there  to  overflowing  houses  :  now  Frau  Moritz  announces 
to  me  (from  Wiesbaden)  that  a  friend  has  just  written 
to  her  from  Breslau  that  in  a  little  over  four  weeks 
Tannhduser  had  been  given  there  twelve  times,  and 
always  to  crowded  houses.  Is  this  really  possible  ? 

There  was  a  famous  success  on  the  I3th  inst.  at 
Wiesbaden.  Schindelmeisser  had  already  written  to 
me  beforehand  (at  the  same  time  also  about  Lohengrin) 
that  it  was  no  longer  possible  to  repress  the  enthusiasm 
of  the  singers  and  of  the  orchestra,  at  the  rehearsals. 
From  all  this  I  gather  that  Schindelmeisser's  study 
was  beyond  all  praise.  Both  he  and  Frau  Moritz  tell 
me  of  an  unprecedented  furore  after  the  performance. 
(Perhaps  you  have  already  read  something  about  it  in 
the  Frankfort  papers  ?)  I  pass  over  individual  details 
to  which  this  "furore "  bears  witness  :  above  all  I 
rejoice  at  Schindelmeisser  himself  (formerly  stirred  up 
against  me  by  R.). 

After  the  success  merely  of  the  rehearsals,  he  had 
resolved  on  Lohengrin.  Frau  Moritz  assures  me  the 
precision  was  unsurpassable.  The  railway  brought 
many  friends  from  Cologne  (Bischoff! !),  Mainz,  Frank- 
fort, Darmstadt,  etc.  The  factotum  of  the  Munich 
Intendant  was  there,  with  instructions  to  at  once  send 
home  news.  In  any  case  Munich  will  soon  give 
Tannhduser. — 

You  did   quite   right  about    Stuttgart. —  Tannhduser 


296  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

will  be  given  at  Frankfort  in  December :  but  I  have 
not  yet  got  the  honorarium  :  I  am  daily  in  expectation 
of  a  letter  from  Hofmann. — 

H.'s  wrote  to  me  lately  (in  answer  to  my  offer  of  the 
Iphigenia  and  the  Faust  Overture  for  publication):  they 
were  very  much  out  of  sorts  and  discouraged  by  my 
behaviour,  as  I  always  made  it  so  difficult  and  almost 
impossible  for  the  theatres  to  give  my  operas  :  my  deal- 
ings with  regard  to  Leipzig  were  far  too  tyrannical,  my 
demands  for  mounting  the  works  too  inconsiderate,  etc. 
— Thereupon  I  spared  no  pains  to  put  before  them  in 
detail  my  whole  intercourse  with  W.,  Rietz,  etc., 
and  to  show  them  how,  on  the  one  hand,  W.'s 
shabbiness  in  the  matter  of  payment,  on  the  other 
hand  Rietz's  evident  disinclination  to  submit  to  my 
purely  artistic  demands,  were  the  sole  causes  of  the 
rupture,  which  for  the  rest  was  a  solitary  exception  : 
whereas  even  the  smallest  theatres  continued  to  stand 
on  the  best  footing  with  me,  etc.,  etc.,  etc.  Finally 
I  said  to  them  that,  through  the  easy  credence 
which  they  gave  to  a  man  known  throughout  the  town 
as  a  liar,  they  appeared  to  have  fallen  into  so  fatal 
a  frame  of  mind  towards  my  works  that  I  did  not 
wish  to  disturb  it  by  any  further  requests,  and  therefore 
— withdrew  my  offers.  I  shall  not  get  very  far  with 
these  Philistines :  they  have  no  conception  whatever 
of  the  position  and  future  of  my  works.  Besides  I 
have  so  spoilt  them  by  my — almost  no — honorarium- 
demands,  that  they  are  now  na'ive  enough  to  imagine 
that  they  would  never  have  anything  more  to  pay  me 
than,  perhaps,  a  tiny  honorarium-pittance  ! — 

I   must  write  to  L.  about  Lohengrin  as  soon  as  I 


TO    UHLIG.  297 

know  anything  definite.  (I  never  presented  my  opera 
to  him :  that  I  never  did  so,  was  just  what  annoyed 
him,  as  my  policy  always  consisted  in  leaving  him  to 
approach  me.  I  only  agreed  to  sell  him  the  copy, 
should  he  ever  desire  to  produce  Lohengrin.}  Natur- 
ally I  have  no  intention  of  appealing  to  the  law-courts 
in  this  matter- 
Well — I  must  stop  :  my  head  is  getting  bad. — What 
I  have  forgotten  I  will  make  up  another  time.  Come, 
have  you  not  forgotten  my  admonition  respecting  the 
X.  publishing  affair  ?  Or  ought  I  no  longer  to  burden 
you  with  such  matters  (owing  to  your  unfortunate 
state  of  health)  ?  Be  candid  !  But,  above  all,  think 
about  the  long  leave  of  absence  for  next  summer  !  If 
everything  goes  well  and  according  to  my  desire,  I 
can  receive  you  in  a  magnificent  garden  and  country- 
house. — 

The  Musical  Society  in  Utrecht  (Holland)  has  been 
the  first  to  reply  to  my  last  notice  in  the  Neue  Zeit- 
schrift  fiir  Musik. — The  article  on  Tannhduser  from 
Dresden  is  really  good  :  who  then  is  the  writer  ? — 

I  am  now  working  at  Young  Siegfried.  I  shall  soon 
have  finished  it.  Then  I  attack  Siegfried's  Death — this 
will  take  me  longer :  I  have  two  scenes  in  it  to  write 
afresh  (the  Norns  and  the  scene  of  Brynhilde  with  the 
Valkyries),  and  above  all  the  close  :  beside  these, 
everything  needs  most  important  revision.  The  whole 
will  then  be — out  with  it !  I  am  impudent  enough  to 
say  it — the  greatest  poem  ever  written  ! — 

About  my  health  another  time  :  I  am  obliged  to 
avoid  all  fatigue,  that  of  excessive  walking  also  : 
only  in  luxurious  comfort  can  this  artificial  man, 


298  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

myself,  now  prosper ;  who  knows — if  I  completely  shift 
the  saddle,  if  I  quite  forswear  my  youth,  and  con- 
sciously adopt  a  brand-new  rule  of  life,  perhaps  I  shall 
see  my  way  to  a  little  further  existence.  (Leave 
sophistries  and  polemics  alone  !  Hope — in  me !) 
Good-bye ! 

Your  Nibelungen  prince, 

ALBERICH. 

(I  will   tell  you   something   amusing  about    Munich 
next  time.) 

90. 

Do  you  know  that  the  revival  of  Tannhauser  at 
Dresden  has  had  quite  an  uncomfortable  effect  on  me  ? 
From  all  my  information,  I  am  convinced  that  even  now 
Tannhauser  has  won  no  right  and  genuine  success  in 
Dresden.  Do  you  remember  that  of  old  Tannhauser 
only  drew  a  full  house  when  it  had  not  been  given  for 
some  time,  whereas  the  theatre  was  always  but  thinly 
filled  when  it  was  repeated  at  short  intervals  ?  I  then 
saw  from  this  that  the  opera  was  like  an  extraordinary 
riddle  to  the  public,  to  the  solution  of  which  they  felt 
impelled  by  curiosity  ;  but  that  it  always  caused  a  cer- 
tain unpleasant  effect — which  scared  them  away  when, 
after  renewed  attempts,  it  remained  unsolved.  The  chief 
blame  for  this,  I  maintain,  lies  in  the  defects  of  the 
performance,  already  censured  by  me :  the  real  Tann- 
haiiser  is  not  made  manifest  at  all,  no  sympathy  is 
aroused  for  it.  But  if  they  have  a  presentiment  of  the 
significance  of  "  Tannhauser"  our  good  Dresden  folk 
find  it,  of  necessity,  hazardous  to  have  anything  to  do 


TO    UHLIG.  299 

with  it. — All  this  rose  up  again  before  me  when  I  learnt 
from  you  that  the  second  performance  was  by  no  means 
over-crowded.  But  now  I  read  (by  chance)  in  a  notice 
(certainly  unintelligent  and  unfavourable)  in  the  Ham- 
burg theatrical  paper,  that  the  unprecedented  interest  of 
the  public  in  the  first  performance  proceeded  from  the 
expectation  that  some  scandal  might  take  place  :  at  least 
this  may  explain  why  the  succeeding  performances  were 
by  no  means  so  well  attended. — I  stick  to  my  opinion  : 
I  am  right  !  This  Dresden,  had  I  remained  in  it,  would 
have  become  the  grave  of  my  art !  What,  on  the  other 
hand,  shall  I  say  about  Weimar,  Schwerin,  Breslau, 
and  Wiesbaden  ?  Everywhere  the  first  performance  at 
once  hit  home,  which  has  certainly  not  happened  in 
Dresden.  Seydelmann  wrote  to  me  lately  that — in  spite 
of  many  interruptions  through  illness — they  had,  up  to 
the  previous  Sunday,  given  Tannhduser  eleven  times,  and 
always  to  full  houses  and  with  like  applause. —  This 
much  is  certain  :  I  have  a  presentiment  that  Dresden 
will  now  do  harm  to  my  Lohengrin,  if  it  comes  out  there  : 
I  shall  therefore  try  all  means  to  prevent  it,  as  soon  as  I 
hear  any  thing  for  certain. 

In  general,  I  begin  to  be  afraid  of  performances  in  chief 
towns.  I  shall  never  find  such  goodwill  there  as  in  the 
smaller  towns,  especially  not  among  self  !-opera-com- 
posing  Capellmeisters.  Do  you  really  know  what 
happened  with  the  Tannhduser  Overture  in  Munich  ? 
The  applause  was  "  very  divided."  But  I  must  tell 
you  a  joke  from  there.  I  had  sent  the  Programme  to 
Lachner,  and  had  received  no  answer  :  after  I  had  read 
about  the  performance,  I  reminded  him  of  it.  Then  I  got 
for  answer  that  they  had  not  ventured  to  make  known 


300  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

the  Programme,  but  that  they  had  added  the  follow- 
ing notice  to  the  concert-programme  :  "  Holy,  serene 
frame  of  mind !  Night  draws  on — The  passions  are 
aroused — The  spirit  fights  against  them — Daybreak — 
Final  victory  over  matter — Prayer — Song  of  triumph/' 
consequently — they  now  say — I  can  rest  assured  that 
my  composition  was  completely  "  understood."  (Is  that 
not  delicious  ?) 

Liszt's  remark  about  the  "  Faust  Overture  "  was  as 
follows  :  he  missed  a  second  theme,  which  should  more 
plastically  represent  "  Gretchen,"  and  therefore  wished 
to  see  either  such  an  one  added,  or  the  second  theme 
of  the  overture  modified.     This  was  a  thoroughly  refined 
and  correct  expression  of  feeling  from  htm,  to  whom 
I  had  submitted  the  composition  as  an   "Overture  to 
the  first   part  of  Goethe's  Faust."     So  I  was    obliged 
to  answer  him  that  he   had  beautifully  caught  me  in 
a  lie,  when  (without  thought)  I  tried  to  make  myself 
or  him  believe  that  I  had  written    such  an   overture. 
But  he  would  quickly  understand  me  if  I  were  to  entitle 
the  composition   " Faust   in    Solitude"     In  fact,    with 
this  tone-poem  I  only  had  in  my  mind  the  first  move- 
ment of  a  Faust  Symphony  :  here  Faust  is  the  subject, 
and  woman  hovers  before  him    only   as  an  indefinite, 
shapeless  object   of  his  yearning ;   as  such,  intangible 
and   unattainable.       Hence   his   despair,  his  curse   on 
all  the  torturing  semblance  of  the  beautiful,  his  head- 
long   plunge  into    the   mad    smart   of  sorcery.      The 
manifestation   of  the  woman  was  only  to  take  place  in 
the  second  part ;  this  would  have  Gretchen  for  its  sub- 
ject, just  as  the  first  part,  Faust.     Already  I  had  theme 
and  mood  for  it : — then — I  gave  the  whole  up,  and — 


TO    UHLIG.  301 

true  to  my  nature — set  to  work  at  the  Flying  Dutchman, 
with  which  I  escaped  from  all  the  mist  of  instrumental 
music,  into  the  clearness  of  the  drama. — However,  that 
composition  is  still  not  uninteresting  to  me  ;  only,  if  one 
day  I  should  publish  it,  it  would  have  to  be  under  the 
title :  " Faust  in  Solitude"  a  tone-poem.  (Curiously 
enough,  I  had  already  resolved  upon  this  "  tone-poem  " 
when  you  made  so  merry  over  that  name — with  which, 
however,  I  was  forced  to  make  shift  for  this  occasion.) 

November  2"jth.  '52. 

December  6th. 

You  see  by  the  accompanying  how  I  waited  every 
day  for  a  letter  from  you  :  at  last  I  was  in  dreadful 
torment — for  naturally  I  felt  obliged  to  account  for  every- 
thing by  an  aggravation  of  your  illness.  My  joy  was 
indescribable  on  receiving  to-da}^  a  letter  in  your  hand- 
writing ;  but  how  sad  the  contents  have  made  me  \ 
Poor  friend,  you  ar  -  suffering  so  much,  and  I  cannot 
help  you  at  all,  nor  relieve  you  in  any  way  !  It  was 
certainly  a  great  strain  for  you,  even  to  write  to  me  : 
have  you  no  one  near  you  who  would  give  me  more 
frequent  news  of  your  state  ?  I  have  already  begged 
Frau  R.  to  do  so.  I  cannot  bear  that  you  should  in 
any  way  be  disturbed  now  about  my  affairs,  and  I 
therefore  request  you  to  hand  over  the  whole  theatre- 
score-business  to  old  Fischer.  Yet  I  will  not  write  to 
him  until  I  know  from  you  that  you  are  willing  to  give 
up  the  matter  for  the  present :  but  if  you  feel  that  it  is 
necessary  for  you  to  be  rid  of  these  cares,  only  send  by 
hand  the  Tannhauser  and  the  Dutchman  to  Fischer,  and 
tell  him  why  I  (and  you)  ask  him. — 

For  the  moment  I  know  nothing  else  that    I   could 


302  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

consider  fitting  to  write,  however  great  my  inclination 
to  chatter  to  you.  My  inmost  sympathy  with  your 
suffering  state  makes  everything  beside  appear  by  far 
too  unessential.  Ah,  were  I  only  near  you,  to  see,  to 
help,  or  at  least  to  be  able  to  cheer  you  !  You  are 
certainly  in  a  terribly  critical  state,  which  you  can 
only  make  bearable  by  the  best  of  spirits  and  complete 
tranquillity  of  mind. 

I  must  keep  from  all  inquiries  as  to  the  principal  seat 
of  your  malady,  and  yet  I  would  so  like  to  have  a 
clear  idea  about  it.  Could  you  not  prevail  upon  your 
physician  to  give  me  a  friendly  word  of  information  ? 
Ah  God !  the  more  I  write  to  you  the  more  I  feel  how 
necessary  it  is  above  all  to  learn  something  further  from 
you  first !  Now,  I  can  only  say  to  you  :  Keep  firm,  have 
a  good  courage,  and  as  soon  as  you  are  well  again  take 
care  not  to  exert  yourself  so  much,  even  by  running,  as 
you  did  last  summer  :  I  also  must  give  up  everything 
forced  !  Hold  on  till  next  summer  :  if  I  once  get  you 
again  here  we  will  put  you  all  right  again.  Hearty 
greetings  to  wife  and  children,  and  especially  to  our 
Siegfried  !  Courage  !  Courage  !  this  is  the  deep,  sympa- 
thetic cry  of 

Your  friend, 

RICHARD. 

The  Flying  Dutchman  is  to  be  sent  to  Breslau — that 
is,  if  they  now  ask  for  it  again — for  it  has  my  sanction. 

91. 
MY  DEAR  OLD  FRIEND  ! 

You  cause  me  terrible  anxiety,  and  especially  as 
I  so  seldom  receive  news  from  you.     Frau  R. — whom 


TO    UHLIG.  303 

I  thank  most  heartily — wrote  to  me  about  a  fortnight 
ago  in  somewhat  comforting  terms  :  what  would  I  not 
have  given,  not  to  have  been  again  compelled  to  wait  so 
long  !  Above  all,  I  do  not  know  whether  and  what  I 
I  ought  to  write  to  you.  That  you  are  now  fearfully 
weak  is  too  evident :  does  this  weakness  only  interfere 
with  your  writing,  or  does  it  fatigue  you  also  if  your 
mind  is  in  any  way  unsettled  by  news  received  from 
any  quarter  ?  It  is  just  this  which  makes  me  so  un- 
certain, and  makes  every  encroachment  upon  you,  in 
your  present  state,  appear  almost  a  crime ;  so  that  I 
always  hesitate  when  I  would  fain  begin  a  letter,  and 
prefer  to  wait  until  I  have  received  news  from  you. 
Now,  especially  on  this  point  (namely,  whether  excite- 
ment by  communication  with  the  outer  world,  and 
particularly  letters,  are  hurtful  to  you  ?) — if  you  yourself 
are  still  too  weak — let  me  have  definite  information 
through  some  person  or  other  of  your  surrounding, 
perhaps  your  good  wife  or  Dr.  Schulze.  With  the 
above-mentioned  fear,  I  feel  almost  disposed  to  write 
you  nothing  further  beyond  this  request. 

So  you  do  not  appear  as  yet  to  have  given  up 
business  matters !  So  then,  /  must — in  obedience  to 
your  wishes — address  myself  to  you  with  the  news  that 
I  have  written  to  Weimar,  and  much  wish  that,  besides 
the  arranged  copy  of  the  Flying  Dutchman  to  be  sent 
as  soon  as  possible  to  Breslau,  a  second  ditto  be  forwarded 
to  Schwerin. — But  I  beseech  you,  if  looking  after  these 
matters  is  in  the  least  harmful  to  you,  to  give  up 
everything  at  once  to  old  Fischer. — 

Try,  you  good,  dear  friend,  to  "recover  your  strength 
right  soon.  When  you  are  once  more  fresh  and  joyful, 


304       RICHARD  WAGNER  S  LETTERS 

you  shall  rejoice  also  over  my  Siegfried,  for  it  is  now 

ready. 

I  am  after  all  fairly  well.     But  you 

Let  me  quickly  have  an  answer  to  my  question  above  : 

otherwise  I  know  not  whether  with  every  line  I  compel 

you  to  read  I  am  doing  you  harm  ! 

I  hope  you  are  able  to  sleep  now.     This  is  above  all 

the  most  heartfelt  wish  of  your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

December  2T,rd,  '52. 

92. 

MY  DEAR  FRIEND  ! 

Ascribe  it  to  the  too  great  obstinacy  of  your 
friendship,  if  I  must  again  worry  you  to-day.  The 
Schwerin  Theatre  has  just  written  in  the  most  pressing 
manner  for  the  score  of  the  Dutchman.  I  must  there- 
fore implore  you,  as  soon  so  you  have  the  Weimar 
music-score,  at  once  to  get  2  (two)  copies  arranged,  of 
which  the  first  is  naturally  to  be  sent  to  Breslau,  but 
the  second  as  quickly  as  possible  (without  previous 
notice  from  me)  to  Schwerin,  addressed  to  the  Court 
Theatre  there. — 

You    see,    dear   friend,    you    have  brought    this   on 
yourself!  ! ! ! 

Only  rejoice  me  soon  with  consoling  news  of  your 
improvement !     With  deepest  sympathy, 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  December  z^tfi,  '52. 


LETTERS 

TO 

WILHELM     FISCHER, 

1841—1859. 


20 


LETTERS 

TO 

WILHELM    FISCHER, 

1841—1859. 


i. 

MOST  HONOURED  SIR, 

I  well  must  doubt,  that  you  will  recollect  my 
unimportant  self  at  the  time  when,  as  a  young  man,  I 
first  devoted  myself  with  wild  enthusiasm  to  music,  but 
nevertheless  had  already  enough  intelligence  to  be  able 
to  appreciate  your  efforts  as  choir-master  at  the  Leipzig 
Theatre.  Once  since  then  have  I  had  an  opportunity  of 
admiring  the  fruits  of  your  diligence  and  of  your  extra- 
ordinary address  :  this  was  at  a  peformance  of  La  Juive 
in  Dresden.  After  that,  I  heard  this  opera  in  Paris, 
and  while  noticing  the  difference  between  the  Dresden 
and  the  Paris  chorus,  I  could  not  help  thinking  of  you ; 
although  it  made  me  sorry  for  the  Paris  Opera,  which 
did  not  show  to  advantage  in  this  comparison. 

Chance  and  good-fortune  have  so  willed,  that  I  should 
be  placed  in  the  position  to  lay  claim  to  your  valuable 
services  to  my  own  advantage. 

The    general  management  of  the    Dresden   Theatre 


308  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

has  lately  notified  to  me  the  definite  acceptance  of  an 
opera,  Rt'ensi,  which  I  had  sent  in,  and  I  have  been 
assured  that  it  will  be  produced  as  speedily  as  possible. 
Through  one  of  my  friends  I  know  that  you — un- 
solicited by  me — have  shown  a  friendly  interest  in 
my  plans  and  wishes,  and  as  I  am  assured  that  your 
own  vote  was  recorded  on  the  question  of  accepting 
my  opera,  so,  by  the  favourable  result,  I  have  to  flatter 
myself  that  your  decision  was  not  hostile  to  me.  From 
all  these  premisses,  I  have  to  esteem  myself  truly 
fortunate  in  now  being  able  with  confidence  to  sue 
for  your  kind  protection.  Although  the  opera,  in 
whose  auspicious  "  birth"  yourself  will  take  so  great 
and  important  a  part,  is  not  my  first-fruits ;  although 
the  style  and  fashion  of  its  ruling  conception  of  dramatic 
music  I  only  finally  decided  on  after  many  an  attempt 
in  other  fashions  ;  and  although  I  feel  compelled  to 
protest  against  the  opinion,  naturally  prevalent  in 
consequence  of  the  obscurity  of  my  name,  that  in 
Rienzi  I  am  making  my  first  appearance  with  a  first 
attempt :  still  I  shall  be  more  than  blind  .and  presump- 
tuous, did  I  not  of  my  own  accord  call  attention,  in 
advance,  to  the  fact  that  I  count  first  on  indulgence 
in  the  judgment  of  my  work.  In  this  sense  I  approach 
you,  most  honoured  sir,  when  I  declare  that,  during 
my  five  years'  practice  as  music-director,  I  became 
most  thoroughly  convinced  of  the  preponderance  that 
practical  knowledge  gives  to  judgment,  and  therefore 
confidently  place  myself  in  your  hands,  as  your  many- 
sided  experience  must  be  acknowledged  by  all.  With 
regard  to  the  many  difficulties  which,  perhaps  not 
without  displeasure,  you  will  have  to  encounter  in 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  309 

rehearsing  my  opera,  be  assured  beforehand — I  implore 
you — of  the  fullest  and  heartiest  thanks  which  any  one 
so  convinced  as  I  am  of  the  greatness  of  the  obligation 
can  offer  in  payment. — My  special  views  with  regard 
to  the  distribution  of  the  choir  in  separate  divisions, 
etc.,  I  will  communicate  to  you  shortly ;  you  will  kindly 
make  use  of  any  suggestions  which  you  find  practical, 
while  in  everything  which  runs  counter  to  your  own 
much  riper  views  I,  as  a  matter  of  course,  entirely  give 
way  to  you. 

May  I  succeed  in  preserving  your  interest  and  gain- 
ing your  respect !  Be  assured  that  neither  would  be 
the  humblest  reward  to  which,  in  my  present  purpose, 
I  eagerly  look  forward  ! — 

With  most  sincere  respect  and  devotion, 

Your  deeply  obliged  servant, 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

PARIS,  September  ^th,  '41. 

2. 

MOST  HONOURED  SIR, 

In  the  hope  that  the  few  lines  have  reached  you 
which  I  enclosed  about  a  month  ago  in  a  letter  to  Herr 
Heine,  I  take  the  liberty  of  addressing  you  again,  and 
this  time,  indeed,  with  a  more  circumstantial  request  to 
grant  me  your  kind  interest,  as  well  as  your  powerful 
assistance.  A  large  portion  of  my  future  lies  in  your 
hands  and  in  those  of  Capellmeister  Reissiger :  they 
are  the  best  hands,  as  far  as  power  is  concerned,  and 
the  only  point  is  to  be  sure  of  your  good-will :  it  is 
my  study  to  woo  its  very  core — but,  as  in  this  wooing 
I  cannot  possibly  rely  on  merit,  I  hope  to  succeed 


310  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

simply  by  begging  you  right  heartily  for  indulgence. 
My  request  can,  therefore,  be  most  briefly  expressed — 
it  is  :  indulgence  and  patience. 

— Most  honoured  sir,  I  place  my  whole  trust  in  the 
high  character  for  truth  and  uprightness  accorded  you 
by  all ;  not  because  I  can  venture  to  count  on  any 
recognition  of  my  merit,  but  because  true  kindness  and 
bonhommie  can  but  be  considered  inseparable  from  a 
character  such  as  yours.  If  you,  therefore,  can  rest 
assured  that  I,  for  my  part,  will  place  implicit  trust  in  you, 
that  with  all  confidence  I  look  forward  to  the  fulfilment  by 
you  of  a  great  part  of  my  best  hopes,  then  I  think  I 
may  be  certain  of  your  kind  indulgence  and  interest. 
Assuming  this,  allow  me  now,  once  again,  to  return  to 
the  object  of  my  hopes,  in  greater  detail  than  was  last 
time  the  case.  In  a  letter  from  Councillor  Winkler  I 
am  assured  that  Herr  von  Liittichau  has  also  given  his 
consent  to  my  opera  being  put  in  rehearsal  immediately 
after  the  production  of  Reissiger's  new  work. 

To  my  very  great  joy,  I  see  then  in  this  resolution  the 
earnest  determination  to  carry  out  the  promise  given  to 
me,  and  nothing  remains  for  me  but  to  commend  myself 
and  my  wishes  with  regard  to  the  forthcoming  per- 
formance to  those  on  whom  depends  its  fate.  At  first 
I  intended  to  put  on  paper  my  wishes  and  ideas  re- 
specting the  cast  and  the  settling  of  some  debatable 
particulars  in  my  opera,  so  as  to  place  them  before  you 
and  Herr  Capellmeister  Reissiger.  But  I  soon  found 
that  I  should  cause  you  quite  unnecessary  trouble  in 
asking  you  to  read  through  this  little  Promemorid  : 
since,  firstly,  through  the  disadvantage  of  not  being  on 
the  spot,  I  should  have  been  compelled  to  express  my 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  3  I  I 

views  in  a  very  problematical  and  uncertain  manner  ; 
and,  finally,  I  should  only  have  discussed  at  length 
certain  things  which  your  insight  would  be  in  the 
position  to  arrange  for  the  best  at  the  very  first 
glance. 

I  cannot  deny  that  the  difficulties,  scenic  and  musical, 
connected  with  the  production  of  my  opera  are  great ; 
and  to  my  regret  I  see,  most  honoured  sir,  that  I  am 
loading  you,  as  stage-manager  and  chorus-master,  with 
a  heavy  piece  of  work.  It  is,  however,  my  consolation 
to  know  with  what  promptitude  and  activity  you  are 
accustomed  to  solve  problems  of  perhaps  greater  diffi- 
culty. It,  therefore,  only  comes  to  this — whether  you 
enter  upon  the  task  with  pleasure  or  the  reverse.  My 
opera  may  well  be  not  altogether  calculated  to  give  you 
pleasure ;  and  that,  most  esteemed  sir,  is,  therefore, 
the  point  where  I  must  exclusively  rely  on  your  indul- 
gence. Perhaps,  however,  the  consideration  that  you 
have  on  your  hands  the  work  of  a  composer  who  is 
also  a  countryman  of  yours  may  inspire  you  with  some 
sort  of  affection  for  the  matter; — perhaps,  too,  with 
your  practised  eye,  you  may  see  here  and  there  many  a 
part  which  might  gain  in  effect  by  being  duly  brought 
to  light,  and  the  pleasure  aroused  by  such  an  endeavour 
may  gradually  waken  pleasure  in  my  work  itself. 

I  spoke  just  now  of  difficulties.  One  of  the  greatest 
of  these  I  consider  to  be  the  skilful  division  of  the  male 
chorus  into  the  separate  parties  of  Nobles  and  Plebeians. 
As  I  do  not  know  the  present  strength  of  the  Dresden 
choir,  I  can  make  no  suggestions  in  the  matter.  The 
task  is  to  make  the  Nobles — who  in  the  first  part  of  the 
opening  of  the  First  Act  are  themselves  divided  into  two 


3  1 2  RICHARD    WAGNER  S    LETTERS 

groups — sufficiently  strong,  without  thereby  robbing 
the  People's  chorus  of  its  due  strength.  In  this,  as  in 
many  other  similar  points,  I  much  prefer  to  trust  entirely 
to  your  judgment,  and  am  convinced  that  that  is  the 
best  thing  I  could  do. 

The  choruses  which  are  sung  behind  the  stage — viz., 
the  chorus  in  the  Lateran  (First  Act),  and  the  small 
chorus  :  Vce  tibi  maledicto  (Fourth  Act) — will  probably 
have  to  be  sung  by  the  Kreuzschule  choir :  at  least,  in 
planning  these  scenes  I  counted  specially  on  this  means 
for  carrying  them  out,  as  the  first  chorus  must  have  an 
imposing  body  of  voices,  which  would  be  quite  impos- 
sible were  the  theatre-choir  divided. 

The  great  tragic  pantomime  in  the  finale  of  the 
Second  Act  presents  another  difficulty.  According  to 
my  views,  the  principal  personages  of  the  same — 
Lucretia,  Brutus,  Tarquinius,  and  Collatinus — can  only 
be  represented  by  members  of  the  comedy  staff  who 
are  accustomed  to  sustain  similar  parts  in  spoken 
drama.  The  carrying  out  of  this,  my  wish,  will  no 
doubt  encounter  difficulties  and  obstacles — therefore, 
most  honoured  sir,  I  lay  this  matter  to  your  heart,  and 
earnestly  implore  you  to  use  all  your  influence  so  that 
my  request,  at  any  rate  in  its  essentials,  may  be  ful- 
filled. 

From  among  many  other  things  which  might  ap- 
pear to  me  worthy  of  further  mention,  I  will  refer 
only  to  the  chorus  of  the  "  Messengers  of  Peace,"  at  the 
beginning  of  the  Second  Act.  As  this  is  by  no  means 
an  easy  chorus  to  sing  with  pure  intonation,  naturally 
only  the  most  musical  and  the  best-voiced  members  of 
the  female  choir  ought  to  be  selected.  The  good  repute 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  313 

of  the  Dresden  choir  leads  me  to  suppose  that  their 
number  will  not  be  found  too  small.  Nevertheless,  it 
is  scarcely  to  be  expected  that  an  unaccompanied  chorus 
can  be  sung  to  the  end  without  falling  somewhat  in 
pitch  !  It  would,  therefore,  be  advisable  to  take  measures 
to  support  the  tone-pitch  now  and  then  from  the  slips ; 
and  this,  in  my  opinion,  could  best  be  done  if  a  skilled 
accompanist  undertook  to  support  the  voices  from 
time  to  time  on  a  chamber-organ  placed  some  little 
distance  back. 

Good  heavens !  I  perceive  that  if  I  continue  in  this 
manner  I  shall  finally  rummage  out  the  whole  of  my 
foolish  stock  of  wisdom  in  bespeaking  my  whims.  But 
I  should  necessarily  weary  you,  and  of  all  things  in  the 
world  I  would  avoid  this,  as  I  have  too  great  need  of 
your  good-humour. — If  you  are  disposed  to  make  me 
supremely  happy,  you  will  do  me  the  great  kindness  to 
honour  me  with  a  few  lines  very  soon ;  be  assured 
that  I  shall  know  how  to  value  such  a  mark  of  distinction 
most  thankfully. 

In  any  event,  I  commend  myself  to  your  kind  good- 
will, and  once  more  to  your  indulgence,  as  your  most 
obedient  servant, 

RICHARD  WAGNER, 

No.  3,  Avenue  de  Meudon  a  Meudon  pres  Paris. 

MEUDON,  October  \$th,  '41. 

P.S. — If  your  affairs  will  allow  of  your  writing  to 
me  before  the  25th  of  this  month,  your  esteemed  letter 
will  reach  me  addressed  as  above.  After  that  date, 
however,  I  would  beg  you  to  send  it  to  the  following 
address  : — No.  14,  Rue  Jacob  a  Paris. 


314  RICHARD    WAGNERS    LETTERS 

3- 
HIGHLY  ESTEEMED  SIR, 

Yesterday,  the  7th  inst.,  I  received  by  post  from 
Nancy  your  kind  letter,  which,  from  its  contents,  ought 
to  'have  reached  me  through  Herr  Leury :  probably  this 
gentleman  stopped  there,  and  so  posted  on  the  letter. 

With  this  preface  I  now  hasten  to  offer  you  my  cordial 
thanks  for  the  great  interest  and  forbearance  displayed 
in  your  honoured  lines.  Pray  be  assured  that  I  have 
been  truly  refreshed  thereby,  and  that  I  clearly  perceive 
how  great  will  be  my  future  obligation  to  you.  The 
hopeful  view  which  you  take  of  my  work  gives  me 
immense  comfort,  and  I  cling  to  it  with  all  the  greater 
trust,  coming  as  it  does  from  you,  a  man  universally 
recognized  as  honest  and  outspoken.  I  am  also 
indebted  to  you  for  the  careful  manner  in  which  you 
have  pointed  out  the  disparities  and  uncertainties  that  lie 
in  the  way  of  realizing  my  purpose  :  by  this  I  am  fully 
convinced  of  your  sympathy,  and  assure  you  that  I  feel 
under  double  obligation  to  you.  As  this,  however,  is 
the  point  on  which  you  desire  especially — and,  indeed, 
in  my  own  interest — a  more  circumstantial  reply,  I 
permit  myself  to  devote  the  principal  contents  of  these 
lines  thereto. 

I  hope  that  Herr  Heine  will  shortly  impart  to  you 
several  passages  from  my  last  letter  to  him,  which  were 
principally  intended  for  you,  most  honoured  sir.  They 
concerned  the  difference  which  exists  between  your 
estimate  of  the  time  which  my  opera  takes  in  performance, 
and  that  which  I  have  arrived  at  after  recent  calculations. 
Herr  Heine  wrote  me  that  you  reckon  it  at  five  hours, 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  315 

while  I  put  it  at  four.  I  much  wish  that  you  had  known 
this  before  you  commenced  your  letter  to  me,  because  it 
would  naturally  have  greatly  influenced  your  views  as  to 
the  shortening  of  my  opera,  and  perhaps  have  effected  a 
change  in  them  in  many  respects.  Now,  if  I  set  about 
writing  once  more  in  detail  on  this  point,  I  am  obliged 
to  place  in  the  forefront  this  observation  of  mine  con- 
cerning the  playing  length ;  for  I  reckon  it  a  piece  of 
good-fortune  to  have  won  the  conviction  that  you  have 
been  led  into  a  not  unimportant,  though  easily  account- 
able, error.  For  otherwise,  should  your  estimate  prove 
correct,  I  should  not  know  how  to  set  about  shortening 
my  opera  by  a  whole  hour. 

Most  honoured  sir  and  well-wisher,  if  we  now  agree 
that  a  performance  of  my  Rienzi(no\.}  of  course,  counting 
entr'actes)  in  its  present  form,  would  last  four  hours,  then 
a  chief  cause  of  apprehension  is  at  once  removed,  viz., 
that  my  opera  would  play  much  longer  than,  among 
other  works,  Les  Huguenots.  But  should  we  have 
succeeded  in  imparting  such  interest  to  the  dramatic 
progress  in  the  action  of  my  opera,  that  there  were  no 
danger  of  the  audience  becoming  weary,  I  might  perhaps 
venture  to  assume  that  in  my  Rienzi  this  sympathy  with 
the  progress  of  the  action  would  outweigh  the  certainly 
somewhat  higher  artistic  interest  that,  for  example,  keeps 
the  public  awake  in  the  last  Act  of  The  Huguenots.  A 
glance  at  the  compass  of  the  various  Acts  of  my  score 
will,  however,  show  you  that  the  last  Act — the  one 
which  in  long  operas  is  always  a  source  of  fear — is 
almost  disproportionately  shorter  than  the  others — a 
circumstance  which  we  certainly  should  take  into 
account. — (Pray  do  not  think  that  I  mention  this  because 


316  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

I  am  under  the  foolish  illusion  that  it  is  here  a  question 
of  talking  you  over  to  my  interest ;  on  the  contrary,  I 
know  how  amiably  disposed  you  are  towards  me,  and  it 
can  therefore  only  be  my  intention  to  come  to  a  clear 
understanding  of  the  matter  by  a  mutual  exchange  of 
our  ideas. — I  consider  this  remark  necessary,  because  I 
should  be  most  disconcerted  if  you  thought  you  must 
attribute  so  incorrect  a  motive  to  my  objections — and  so 
I  proceed  : — ) 

From  the  passage  in  your  valued  letter  in  which  you 
say  that,  feeling  the  great  length  of  the  numbers,  you 
tried  to  make  cuts,  but  could  never  find  the  suitable 
place  where  this  could  be  effected,  I  perceive  more  than 
ever  that  it  is  not  individual  lengthiness — too  wide 
expansion — repetitions,  or  superfluous  embellishments, 
that  you  complain  of  in  my  behalf,  but  only  the  excessive 
length  of  the  whole.  While  on  this  point,  I  must  tell 
you  that  during  composition  I  found  myself  compelled, 
by  a  survey  of  the  proportions  of  my  subject,  to  refrain 
from  certain  purely  musical  amplifications,  even  where 
they  would  perhaps  have  been  of  good  effect.  To  make 
myself  clearer,  I  instance  the  first  choral  passage  at  the 
commencement  of  the  first  finale:  "Gegriisst,  sei  hoher 
Tag  " ;  did  not  the  subject  here  provide  a  good  oppor- 
tunity for  an  elaborate  chorus  of  exultation  ?  In  the 
finale  of  the  Second  Act,  the  scene  in  which  sentence 
is  passed  on  the  nobles — what  material  for  a  grand 
ensemble?  In  the  Fourth  Act,  where  Rienzi  approaches 
the  church,  and,  amid  the  muffled  chants,  perceives  the 
proclamation  of  excommunication — the  conspirators  in 
a  state  of  indecision — Adriano  struggling  with  his  better 
self — the  horror-stricken  crowd— what  use  could  not  I 


TO   WILHELM    FISCHER.  317 

have  made  of  all  this  to  write  one  of  those  grand  finales  ? 
In  fact,  it  cost  me  here  considerable  self-restraint  to  keep 
from  broader  musical  development;  and  I  think  you 
also  will  have  seen  that  I  never  protracted  a  situation  ; 
that,  on  the  contrary,  I  the  rather  felt  compelled  to  pass 
swiftly  from  one  to  the  other.  All  the  more  necessary 
was  it,  therefore,  for  me  to  express  myself  in  a  purely 
musical  way  in  those  important  finale  sections  that  were 
demanded  by  the  situation  ;  and  the  two  adagio  move- 
ments of  the  second  and  third  finales,  as  well  as  the 
rushing  concluding  passages  of  the  same,  demanded 
throughout  a  more  detailed  treatment,  in  order  to 
restore  the  stream  of  music  to  its  rights. 

From  that  passage  in  your  letter  I  now  conclude  that 
you  have  felt  with  me,  that  of  .actual  long-windedness 
(protractions,  and  repetitions  easy  to  strike  out) — I  say 
this  almost  with  regret — there  is  not  much  to  be  found, — 
"  with  regret,"  because  I  see  how  difficult  the  business 
of  shortening  is  thereby  made. — Believe  me,  I  would 
far  rather  you  had  sternly  pointed  out  to  me  extensions 
and  repetitions  of  this  sort,  and  that  I  had  nothing 
further  to  do  than  readily  to  follow  your  suggestions. 

Meanwhile,  let  us  look  at  the  matter  for  a  moment 
from  the  other  side.  Is  a  duration  of  four  hours,  with 
a  lively  and  uninterrupted  action,  really  so  unbearable, 
especially  when  there  are  no  spun-out  passages  to 
complain  of? — Still,  here  and  there,  there  will  be  some- 
thing to  strike  out,  and  I  myself  make  some  proposals 
concerning  this  upon  the  enclosed  sheet ; — further,  as  on 
the  whole  I  perceive  the  pantomime  and  ballet  will  have 
to  be  considerably  shortened,  whereby  again  some  time 
will  be  saved.  And  then — quite  frankly  :  have  your 


3 1 8  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

operas  never  played  up  to  10.15  or  10.30??     I  fancy 
La  Juive  can  scarcely  have  lasted  less  time. 

Now  to  something  else.  My  proposals  for  the  dividing 
of  the  choir  are  also  to  be  found  on  the  enclosed  sheet. 
It  is  a  great  pity  that  I  counted  on  the  co-operation  of 
the  Kreuzschule  pupils ;  is  there  then  no  other  largish 
choir  whose  services  could  be  secured,  if  only  for  the 
church-chorus  in  the  First  Act  ?  I  fancied  I  had  read 
about  such  a  choral  union. 

Concerning  the  pantomime  and  the  ballet,  you  make 
me  most  anxious ;  at  any  rate,  rather  than  present  both 
in  an  utterly  inadequate  way,  it  were  better  to  curtail 
them  considerably.  Is  Dresden  then  really  so  badly  off 
in  this  respect  ?  I  keep  coming  back  to  La  Juive,  for 
this  is  the  only  modern  opera  of  which  I  have  a  distinct 
remembrance  :  I  saw  it  there  in  the  summer  of  1837,  arjd 
confess  that  I  found  the  by  no  means  insignificant  ballet 
anything  but  bad,  whether  as  regards  arrangement  or 
execution.  Also  in  Les  Huguenots,  I  hear,  one  misses 
nothing,  and  everything  is  well  cared  for. — The  panto- 
mime, of  course,  must  be  entirely  left  out,  if  players  of 
importance  do  not  undertake  the  three  principal  roles  in 
it.  I  will  write  in  a  few  days  to  the  general  manage- 
ment, and  see  if  it  be  possible  by  its  means  to  induce 
the  comedians  in  question  to  take  part  in  my  pantomime. 
If  this  cannot  be  managed,  the  pantomime,  as  I  said, 
must  be  left  out,  and  my  suggestions  in  view  of  this 
and  other  events  I  have  set  down  on  the  enclosed  pro 
memoria. 

In  calling  your  attention  to  this  document,  I  mention 
here  once  more,  that  in  it  I  have  indicated  everything 
which  could  in  any  case  be  cut,  but  that  this  concerns 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  319 

only  short  passages,  which,  in  truth,  would  not  much 
diminish  the  playing  length  of  my  opera.  On  the  other 
hand,  I  leave  to  you  and  Herr  Reissiger  to  cut  out  whole- 
sale whatever  may  be  cut  without  decided  injury — i.e., 
long-windedness,  wherever  you  may  find  it.  7,  for  my 
part,  am  the  most  incapable  person,  and  at  the  same 
time  the  most  prejudiced  in  a  matter  of  this  kind,  and  I 
think  I  cannot  do  better  than  once  again  lay  this  matter 
to  your  heart. 

For  the  rest,  pray  do  whatever  you  can  to  hurry  the 
thing  on.  Nothing  is  yet  copied  out ;  whenever,  then, 
will  it  be  given  out  for  study  ?  This  will  certainly  take 
up  some  time,  for  I  know  well  how  many  difficulties 
there  are  in  my  opera  !  Must  it  really  be  put  off  for  so 
long  ?  As  it  seems  now  that  Emma  de  Vergey  and  other 
Italian  operas  must  be  taken  up  again,  cannot  Guitarrero 
wait  till  after  JRieuzi  ?  At  all  events,  get  the  music 
copied  at  once,  so  that  the  singers  can  at  least  have  their 
parts  ;  long  passages  need  not  yet  be  cut  out,  and  the 
smaller  omissions,  which  are  often  settled  at  the  vocal 
rehearsals,  can  easily  be  marked.  Well,  I  trust  entirely 
to  your  goodness. 

The  enclosed  small  sheet  contains,  then,  the  little  pro 
memorid  I  mentioned  :  I  have  written  it  apart  so  that 
you  may  make  use  of  .it  at  your  discretion — e.g.,  com- 
municate it  to  Herr  Reissiger.  How  I  wish  you  would 
make  the  sacrifice  of  writing  to  me  soon  again,  to  say 
what  you  think  of  my  proposals  and  what  you  have 
settled  in  my  affair !  I  earnestly  beg,  as  the  whole 
affair  is  so  entirely  in  my  interest,  that  you  will  send 
your  kind  letter  unfranked ;  however,  that  scarcely 
needs  saying. 


32O  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

Once  more  my  heartiest,  deepest  thanks  for  your 
valued  letter,  for  your  kindness  and  friendly  intentions  : 
I  shall  never  cease  endeavouring  to  show  myself  worthy 
of  your  notice.  With  the  request  that  you  will  give 
heartiest  greetings  to  Herr  Heine  from  me,  and  that  you 
will  continue  to  me  your  invaluable  friendship,  I  com- 
mend myself  to  you  with  deep  respect  and  thanks,  as 
Your  most  devoted  servant, 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 
PARIS  (14,  RUE  JACOB),  December  8t/i,  '41. 

I .  Suggestions  respecting  the  Cast. 

Rienzi,  Hr.  Tichatschek ;  Adriano,  Mad.  Schroder- 
Devrient ;  Irene,  Dlle.  Wiist ;  Steffano  Colonna — I  should 
prefer  a  certain  Hr.  Zezi  for  this  part  (is  this 
feasible  ?  )  ;  Orsini,  Hr.  Wachter  ;  Cecco  del  Vccchio, 
Hr.  Risse ;  Baroncelli,  Hr.  Schuster ;  Cardinal  (Filippo 
de  Gardia),  Hr.  Vestri;  Messenger  of  Peace,  Mad.  Helhvig 
(I  do  not,  however,  know  her  ;  is  her  voice  flexible  and 
fresh  ? ).  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  cast  the  subor- 
dinate parts,  as  I  am  at  present  quite  unacquainted  with 
this  portion  of  the  personnel;  so  I  leave  it  entirely  to 
the  judgment  of  the  management. — 

2.  Suggestions  respecting  the  Distribution  of  the  Choir,  etc. 

Act  I.  No.  i.  Introduction. — Followers  of  Colonna 
and  Orsini,  eight  singers  to  each  part ;  People's  chorus, 
22  men.  Very  good  ! — After  the  followers  of  the  Nobles 
have  left  the  stage,  they  will  have  plenty  of  time  to 
change  their  dress  (perhaps  by  simply  throwing  on  a 
cloak),  and  reinforce  the  chorus  of  the  People,  with 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  321 

which  the  introduction   concludes,  and   in  which  male 
voices  predominate. 

No.  4.  Finale. — If  it  is  impossible  to  employ  a  special 
choir  of  singers  for  the  chorus  in  the  Lateran  Church — 
"  Erwacht,  ihr  Schlafer  " — there  are  only  two  ways  out 
of  the  difficulty.  Either :  The  chorus  of  the  People — 
"  Gegrusst  sei,  hoher  Tag  " — must  be  sung  on  the  stage 
by  only  22  men  and  12  women,  whereas  the  crowd  of 
People  would  have  to  be  considerably  reinforced  by 
figurants  and  supernumeraries.  Sixteen  men  and  10 
women  would  then  sing  the  chorus  in  the  Lateran ;  at 
the  passage,  "  Seht  wie  er  glanzt,"  where  the  musical 
structure  of  this  chorus  is  divided  into  two  parts,  the 
five  voices  that  enter  one  after  the  other  as  soli  must 
be  doubled,  and  the  remainder  would  have  to  sing  the 
sustained  notes.  These  singers  would  then,  of  course, 
rejoin  the  choir  on  the  stage  as  quickly  as  possible. 
But  as  the  female  voices  would  be  the  weaker  in 
number,  the  singer  of  the  Messenger  of  Peace,  and 
perhaps  one  other  female  soloist  not  engaged  in  this 
opera,  might  kindly  consent  to  strengthen  them. — 
Or:  The  whole  choir  of  male  and  female  singers  must 
first  appear  on  the  stage  to  sing  the  chorus,  "  Gegrusst 
sei,  hoher  Tag."  Then  during  the  somewhat  long 
organ  prelude,  18  men  and  18  ladies  would  withdraw 
from  the  stage,  to  sing  the  church  chorus  from  behind 
the  scene.  Considering  the  great  amount  of  movement 
on  the  stage,  this  could  easily  be  concealed  by  imper- 
ceptibly replacing  the  departing  men  by  an  equal 
number  of  supernumeraries,  and  the  ladies  by  as  many 
figurants.  This  might  be  arranged  by  any  device  of 
suitable  grouping  (the  People  here  should  fall  on  their 

2  I 


322  RICHARD   WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

knees) ;  besides,  one  could  suppose  the  crowd  were 
moving  to  and  fro,  etc.  Naturally,  the  principal  thing 
is  for  the  stage  not  to  be  left  too  empty.  In  this  case  I 
would  add  a  short  organ  prelude,  so  that  the  singers 
who  had  gone  off  would  have  time  to  get  back  to  the 
stage  for  the  choral  passage,  "  Rienzi !  Rienzi !"  The 
figurants  who  had  for  the  time  replaced  them  would 
still  remain  on  the  stage,  and,  -by  the  advent  of  the 
returning  choristers,  the  whole  would  gain  the  appearance 
as  if  the  mass  of  the  people  were  continually  increasing. 
This  way  of  arranging  the  matter  would  be  most  to  my 
liking. 

Act  2.  No.  6. — Terzett  and  Chorus  of  Nobles  :  1 6  good 
singers. 

No.  7.  Finale. — The  first  chorus  is  to  be  sung  by  the 
whole  personnel,  with  all  the  reinforcement  possible, — 
the  Nobles,  of  course,  not  to  be  placed  in  the  front. 

In  any  case,  the  ambassadors  must  be  represented  by 
figurants.  It  will  be  the  task  of  the  costume-designer 
to  distinguish  each  ambassador  as  much  as  possible 
from  the  rest,  by  the  dress  and  other  insignia.  Each 
of  these  ambassadors  must  have  a  small  following  of 
heralds,  etc.,  and  their  train  be  made  as  brilliant  as 
possible ;  each  of  them  presents  himself  to  Rienzi,  and 
hands  him  a  scroll ;  thereby  the  march  might  well  be 
given  entire,  but  if  the  music  is  too  long,  the  24  bars  in 
G-major  could  be  omitted. 

If  the  pantomime  must  be  entirely  cut  out,  there 
would  only  then  remain  the  Warriors'  dance,  in 
F-major  2/4,  to  be  performed  in  old  Roman  costume ; 
the  combat  of  the  Cavaliers,  in  mediaeval  dress  ;  the 
appearance  of  the  Goddess  of  Peace,  accompanied  by 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  323 

maidens,  some  in  ancient,  some  in  mediaeval  attire  ; 
and  the  last  great  ballet,  as  a  festival  ensemble-dance, 
illustrating  the  union  of  ancient  and  modern  Rome, 
with  the  final  unfurling  and  blessing  of  the  banners 
(white  and  blue,  with  silver  stars).  The  Warriors' 
dance,  for  men  only,  will  cause  no  difficulty.  I  re- 
member formerly  having  seen  a  similar  dance  injessonda 
performed  in  excellent  style  by  the  soldiers  quartered 
at  Dresden.  I  can  wish  for  nothing  better  than  some- 
thing like  that.  The  concluding  ensemble-dance  would 
consist,  for  the  most  part,  of  a  sort  of  chain-dance ;  the 
premiere  danseuse  would,  however,  have  an  opportunity 
of  showing  herself. — I  should  assign  to  her  the  passage 
in  6/8  time  G-major,  and  that  in  3/4  time  C-major  to 
the  two  solo  dancers. 

The  bass  passage,  Misereat  dominum,  can  be  sung  by 
the  Nobles  themselves  behind  the  dropped  curtain ;  for 
the  Monks  are  only  seen  when  they  have  nothing  more 
to  sing,  and  so  can  be  represented  by  supernumeraries. 

During  the  Fina/e,  16  Nobles,  22  men  for  the  People, 
as  before. 

Act  3.  No.  8.  Introduction. — Full  male  chorus,  with 
auxiliaries. 

No.  10.  Finale.  War  Hymn. — The  men-at-arms  are, 
for  the  most  part,  to  be  represented  by  figurants,  and 
perhaps  only  22  singers  should  be  employed  here,  so 
that  at  least  16  may  remain  for  the  Priests  (or,  on 
account  of  the  censorship,  aged  Citizens  past  service  in 
the  field),  who  naturally  will  join  in  the  hymn  ;  for  they 
accompany  the  military  procession  as  it  leaves  the  stage, 
and  afterwards  return  with  it,  so  as  to  sing  with  the 
women  the  small  chorus,  "  Willkommen,  Roms  siegreiche 


324  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Sohne,"  in  which  the  Warriors  naturally  take  no  part, 
although  it  would  not  be  very  remarkable  even  if  some 
out  of  the  military  procession  were  to  strengthen  the 
above-named  passage. 

Act  4.  No.  n.  Terzett  and  Chorus. — For  the  Conspi- 
rators, the  22  theatre-choristers. 

No.  12.  Finale. — In  the  procession  the  men  are  only 
to  be  represented  by  figurants  and  supernumeraries. 
Song  of  the  Priests  in  the  interior  of  the  church,  "  Vce, 
vet,  tibi  maledicto :  "  all  the  basses  of  the  auxiliary  choir. 
The  passage  for  the  Cardinal,  "  Zuriick,  dem  Reinen 
nur,"  to  be  strengthened  by  these. 

Act.  5.  No.  1 6.  Finale. — Chorus  of  the  People  :  the 
whole  of  the  theatre-choristers,  with  auxiliaries.  The 
final  group  of  advancing  Nobles  to  be  represented  only 
by  figurants. 

3.  Suggestions  for  Cuts. 

Act  2.  No.  5.  Introduction. — Prelude  to  the  chorus  of 
the  Messengers  of  Peace  : — After  the  thirtieth  bar  from 
the  commencement,  the  next  27  bars  can  be  left  out :  the 
song  would  then  only  begin  with,  "  Ihr  Romer  hort  die 
Kunde." — If,  on  the  repetition  of  this  chorus,  while  the 
Messengers  of  Peace  are  departing,  something  must  be 
omitted,  let  it  be  the  eight  bars  from  "  in  diistre 
Felsenschluchten "  to  "denn  Friede  ist  gekommen," 
although  this  will  not  answer  very  well,  on  account  of 
the  text. 

No.  6.  Terzett  and  Chorus. — The  repeat  after  the  close 
is  to  be  left  out,  perhaps  also  something  in  the  middle 
of  the  ensemble;  but  here  I  must  ask  Herr  Reissiger  to 
make  the  cut  for  me,  as  in  that  matter  I  am  too  preju- 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  325 

diced  to  find  the  right  point.     I  should,  least  of  all,  like 
the  passage  for  the  basses  : 


'  Gesch    -    woren  ist  ihm  Tod,"  etc. 


to  be  cut  out,  as  thereby  Adriano  would  be  made  too 
insignificant. 

No.  7.  Finale. — In  the  March  of  the  Ambassadors, 
24  bars,  G-major,  are  to  be  left  out. 

Should  the  pantomime  be  performed,  the  cuts  could 
best  be  indicated  by  whoever  arranges  it.  In  this  case 
the  dance  of  the  women,  E-flat  major  3/4,  must  naturally 
be  preserved,  though  probably  as  a  mere  solo  dance, 
with  groupings. — Then  the  whole  32  bars  of  A-flat, 
and  the  first  31  bars  of  the  following  E-flat,  could  be 
omitted.  If  the  pantomime  is  entirely  done  away  with, 
the  ballet  would  open  with  the  Warriors'  dance,  F-major 
3/4  :  in  this  event,  instead  of  the  Herald's  recitative,  I 
must  precede  it  by  a  short  instrumental  introduction, 
for  tonality's  sake — at  most  eight  bars.  The  following 
cut  is,  however,  to  be  made  in  this  ballet-number  : — 
After  the  first  96  bars  the  D-major,  B-major,  and 
F-major  are  to  be  left  entirely  out,  and  the  music 
passes  at  once  to  the  C-major  6/8.  If  the  third  ballet- 
number — i.e.,  the  final  grand  ensemble-dance — cannot 
be  performed,  then,  after  the  G-major  6/8,  the  Tempo 
imo  C-major  4/4  is  to  be  left  out,  and  one  must  proceed 
with  the  E-major  3/4. — dosing  section  of  the  Finale. 
Here  again,  in  spite  of  the  extent  of  this  piece,  it  is  im- 
possible for  me  to  find  the  proper  point  for  cutting.  At 
best  in  the  Presto,  where,  after  the  forty-third  bar, 


326  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

24  bars  can  be  struck  out,  which,  however,  does  not 
amount  to  much,  and  only  robs  the  close  of  its  force. 

Act  3.  No.  8.  Introduction. — At  the  close  of  this,  the 
reprise  of  seven  bars  can  be  omitted. 

No.  10.  Finale.  Closing  section.  Allegro  motto :  E-flat 
major. — After  the  first  82  bars,  eight  bars  can  be  struck 
out ;  the  next  54  remain,  and  then  again  16  may  be 
skipped.  In  the  piu  mosso,  after  the  first  16  bars,  the 
next  1 8  can  be  left  out. 

Act  4.  No.  II.  Terzett  and  Chorus. — In  the  ensemble, 
the  first  eight  bars  from  the  piu  stretto  onwards  can  be 
left  out ;  in  Adriano's  part  the  last  bar  before  the  piu 
stretto  must  then  be  changed,  so  as  to  correspond  with 
the  eighth  of  the  omitted  bars. 

No.  12.  Finale. — The  march  at  the  beginning,  without 
repeat. 

Act  5.  No.  13.  RienzVs  Prayer. — Here  I  beg  Herr 
Capellmeister  Reissiger  to  cut  as  he  pleases  in  the 
opening  and  concluding  symphonies. 

In  the  introduction  of  the  overture,  I  can  also  shorten 
the  solo  of  the  'cello  and  double-bass ;  but  I  would 
prefer  not  to  do  that  until  I  have  convinced  myself  at 
an  orchestral  rehearsal  that  the  nuances  of  phrasing 
indicated  by  me  are  not  sufficient  to  prevent  this 
passage  from  being  wearisome,  which,  with  a  perfectly 
bald  execution,  would  happen  without  a  doubt. 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

PARIS,  December  Sift,  '41. 

4- 

MOST  HONOURED  FRIEND  AND  WELL-WISHER  ! 

Accept    my   heartiest  thanks    for   your   valued 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  327 

letter  of  January  25th.  Though  the  immediate  occa- 
sion of  sending  it  was  far  from  consoling,  and  though 
this  endless  putting-off  of  the  first  performance  of  my 
opera  disturbs  all  my  plans,  yet,  on  the  other  hand,  I 
should  be  very  wroth  with  myself,  if  I  were  unwilling 
to  lend  a  most  attentive  ear  to  the  reasons  which  you 
bring  forward.  As  matters  stand,  I  must  honestly 
evince  my  gratitude  that  you — from  an  inclination 
towards  my  work,  as  I  must  indeed  flatter  myself — 
have  at  last  definitely  declared  that  my  Rienzi  ought 
not  to  come  out  under  such  unfavourable  circum- 
stances ;  and  you  may  rest  assured  that — even  though 
it  be  to  my  momentary  regret — I  recognize  herein  the 
most  convincing  proof  of  your  truly  friendly  intentions 
towards  me,  and  heartily  rejoice  thereat.  For  certainly 
it  is  of  unspeakble  importance  to  me  that,  above  all, 
the  first  performance  of  my  opera  should  be  as  free 
from  fault  and  as  perfect  in  all  its  parts  as  possible. 
I  have  too  long  delayed  to  do  anything  for  my  reputa- 
tion, and  indeed  for  this  single  reason,  that  I  could  not 
but  regard  a  bad  performance  of  my  compositions, 
such  as  of  necessity  must  have  been  their  fate  at  a 
provincial  theatre,  as  the  decisive  death  of  what  was 
born  of  fullest  life  :  aware,  as  I  was,  how  many  a 
noteworthy  talent  had  already  found  its  early  ruin  by 
sending  its  productions  into  the  world  disfigured  and 
past  recognition. 

For  the  last  eight  years — since  the  time  when  I 
felt  myself  equipped  to  appear  before  the  public — 
I  have  therefore  maintained  unbroken  silence,  and 
have  always  refused  every  opportunity  of  appearing 
only  in  an  imperfect  manner ;  so  much  the  more  then 


328  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

must  it  be  my  object  that  this,  at  last,  my  first 
appearance  should  be  as  successful  as  possible.  For 
this  reason  was  I  so  much  rejoiced  to  see  my  work 
accepted  for  performance  on  the  Court  stage  of  their 
city  through  the  recommendation  of  my  Dresden 
friends. 

On  account  of  its  public,  and  their  more  or  less 
determinative  opinion,  Dresden  could  naturally  weigh 
little  with  me,  or,  rather,  weigh  less  than  Berlin  or 
Vienna:  still  it  is  of  the  utmost  weight  to  me  on 
account  of  the  character  of  its  performances,  which — 
I  know  for  certain — can  nowhere  be  more  complete 
than  at  the  Court  Theatre  of  that  city.  With  regard 
to  Dresden,  therefore,  it  is  almost  of  less  importance 
to  me  how  my  opera  will  be  received  there,  than  how  it 
will  be  given  there.  You  may  guess  from  these  my 
feelings,  whether  I  know  how  to  value  the  service  you 
rendered  me  when  you  declared  that  the  performance 
of  my  opera  could  not  take  place  just  yet. 

That  you  should  at  last  see  yourself  compelled  to  make 
such  a  declaration,  this,  I  confess,  however,  rejoices 
me  somewhat  less.  I  perceive  by  the  whole  delay,  by 
the  complete  want  of  respect  with  which  the  general 
management  treated  my  opera,  that  I  should,  perhaps, 
have  been  sold  and  betrayed  in  Dresden,  unless  you 
alone — at  least  amongst  the  immediate  management — 
had  taken  interest  in  my  affairs.  The  vacillating 
behaviour  of  the  Herr  Intendant  is  quite  incompre- 
hensible to  me :  to  accept  an  opera  for  performance, 
not  indeed  through  any  personal  considerations,  but 
because  it  was  recommended  to  him  as  worthy  of  pro- 
duction, and  afterwards  entirely  to  disregard  it,  is,  in 


TO   WILHELM    FISCHER.  329 

my  opinion  of  things — supposing  there  lie  at  bottom 
no  other  unknown  motives  for  his  action — a  perfectly 
senseless  proceeding,  however  often  it  may  occur  in 
practice  and  gain  an  understanding.  The  doubt  im- 
plied in  this  behaviour  ought,  of  course,  to  be  removed 
before  a  work  is  accepted.  Unfortunately,  with  my 
total  want  of  fame,  I  cannot  complain  :  on  the  contrary, 
I  must  regard  it  as  a  rare  piece  of  good-fortune  to  have 
at  least  found  in  you  a  warm  friend.  Yet  the  tact- 
lessness and  instability  of  the  German  repertoire  is  a 
sad  truth,  which  one  must  recognize  with  real  shame, 
as  soon  as  one  casts  a  -glance  at  the  management  of, 
e.g.,  the  French  Theatre. — No  one,  however,  can  suffer 
more  under  this  than  persons  such  as  yourself,  most 
honoured  friend;  and  therefore  there  can  be  no 
possible  necessity  for  me  to  express  myself  at  further 
length  to  you  under  this  unsavoury  heading.  Pity 
'tis  so. 

However — to  return  to  my  Rienzi.  Heaven  grant 
that  it  may  at  least  come  out  by  the  time  you  mention. 
See  to  it,  please,  that  after  the  return  of  Mad.  Devrient 
nothing  else  is  studied  before  my  opera,  for  even  if 
this  is  settled,  I  shall  still  be  constantly  exposed  to 
great  uncertainty  :  how  easily  might  Mad.  Devrient 
return  indisposed — what  might  not  happen  to  Herr 
Tichatschek  ?  I  wrote  once  last  autumn  to  this 
gentleman,  but  naturally  received  not  a  syllable  of 
answer.  What  is  his  opinion  ? — does  he  know  his 
part  ?  or  do  you  think  this  will  really  suit  him  ? — You 
write  to  me,  that  in  spite  of  the  long  procrastination, 
you  will  be  good  enough  to  let  the  preparatory  work 
for  Rienzi  proceed  slowly  ;  that  is  fine,  for  in  this  way 


330  RICHARD    WAGNERS    LETTERS 

we  shall  not  be  taken  by  surprise  again !  Above  all, 
I  presume  that  my  opera  has  been  given  out  to  be 
copied,  and  in  this  case  I  beg  you  to  have  the  full 
score  copied  first,  as  my  manuscript  is  the  only  one, 
and  I  shall  soon  want  it,  since  I  have  only  kept  back 
the  rough  sketch. 

Councillor  Winkler  writes  to  me  on  January  i/th 
about  the  great  splendour  with  which  the  general 
management  had  resolved  to  put  Rienzi  on  the  stage  : 
two  scenes  were  to  be  quite  new,  and  the  costumes 
were  estimated  at  537-  Well,  there  is  still  plenty  of 
time,  and  we  will  soon  speak  about  it.  Though  much 
has  changed  with  me  and  with  my  plans,  through  the 
fresh  putting  off  of  my  opera,  still  I  shall  not  change 
my  travelling  plans.  First  of  all,  after  five  years' 
absence  from  Germany,  I  long  for  my  dear  fatherland, 
and  then  I  wish  my  wife  to  take  the  Teplitz  mineral 
waters ;  so  that  I  feel  sufficiently  determined  to  yield 
to  the  further  wish  of  talking  over  matters  in  person 
with  you  and  our  friend  Herr  Heine.  I  think  of 
starting  from  here  about  Easter.  Nevertheless,  1 
beg  you  (however  unimportant  this  may  appear 
to  you),  for  the  present,  to  let  my  intention  of 
visiting  you  in  Dresden  be  known  only  to  you  and 
to  Herr  Heine ;  I  think  I  have  good  reasons  for 
this  wish. 

Please  greet  Herr  Heine  heartily  for  me ; — you 
might  both,  my  dear  friends,  write  once  more  hither, 
so  as  to  make  me  quite  happy.  I  should  also  very 
much  like  to  know  how  little  Marie  is. 

Farewell,  my  most  honoured  friend ;  be  always 
well  disposed  and  sympathetic  towards  me,  and  rest 


TO   WILHELM    FISCHER.  331 

assured    that    I    shall  never   forget    how   much  I    am 
indebted  to  you  for  your  great  kindness. 
With  deepest  thanks,  I  am 

Your  truly  devoted 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

PARIS,  January  $th,  '42  (?  February. — Tr.),  14,  RUE  JACOB. 

Herr  Kratz,  who  was  highly  delighted  with  your 
greetings,  thanks  you  very  much,  and  sends  his  kind 
regards  to  you  ! 

I  had  intended  to  write  to  Mad.  Devrient ;  but,  on 
reflection,  I  think  I  can  fairly  spare  her  my  letter, 
and  therefore  beg  you  to  commend  me  in  the  humblest 
manner  to  her  kindness. 

5- 

MY  MOST  ESTEEMED  FRIEND  AND  WELL-WISHER, 

As  you  know  me  and  have  already  suffered  in  a 
most  unheard-of  manner  by  my  worryings,  it  will  not 
surprise  you  if  I  now  again  keep  you  wide  awake  on 
the  exercise  of  that  most  heavenly  of  virtues,  patience. 
I  grant  that  you  are  the  victim  of  my  fussiness :  but 
reflect,  that  he  who  suffers  untold  sorrows  in  this  world, 
has  to  look  forward  to  repayment  out  of  all  proportion, 
by  joys  in  the  world  to  come.  And  even  here  below, 
reward  is  not  entirely  forgotten  :  out  of  pure  sym- 
pathy for  your  sorrows  I  have,  for  instance,  resolved 
not  to  return  to  Dresden  until  the  end  of  this  month. 
Understand  that  thereby  the  joy  is  prepared  for  you 
of  seeing  me  for  three  weeks  less  than,  according 
to  my  former  plan,  you  had  to  fear !  I  am  preparing 
for  you  the  joy  of  not  having  anything  to  do  with  me 


332  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

personally  until  the  end  of  this  month,  so  that  it  ought 
to  appear  to  you  only  fair  to  show  me  some  gratitude, 
t.e.,  to  allow  me  to  worry  you  somewhat  this  time  by 
letter.  Permit  me  then  to-day  to  ask  this  question  : 
"  Have  Mad.  Devrient  and  Herr  Tichatschek  already 
arrived  in  Dresden,  and  are  the  parts  of  my  unfortu- 
nate opera  distributed  ?  "  In  order  seriously  to  make 
known  to  you  my  frame  of  mind,  I  must  assure  you 
that — if  it  remains  settled  that  before  my  opera  no  other 
new  one  is  to  be  put  into  rehearsal — I  would  certainly 
force  no  one  and  ask  for  no  hurrying  on  of  the  perform- 
ance (for  it  is  fairly  indifferent  to  me  whether  it  come 
off  a  month  sooner  or  later). 

Only — since  we  shall  in  some  measure  be  forced 
to  be  ready  at  latest  by  the  beginning  of  September, 
owing  to  the  unfortunate  circumstance  that  the  fortnight's 
absence  of  Tichatschek  in  the  latter  half  of  that  month 
would  be  detrimental  to  a  later  rehearsal  of  my  opera — I 
am  so  persuaded  of  the  importance  to  us  of  a  right  early 
and  undisturbed  commencement  of  study,  that  I  may  be 
forgiven  if  I  am  somewhat  anxious  about  the  matter. 

Most  honoured  friend  and  well-wisher,  this  time  you 
shall  not  be  troubled  with  further  questions  ;  my  poor 
understanding  feels  only  too  little  qualified  to  give 
lessons  to  you,  and  so  I  only  add  one  inquiry  respect- 
ing the  health  of  your  good  spouse,  who  was  indeed 
better,  but  not  fully  restored,  when  I  left. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  our  excellent  friend  Herr  Heine 
is  quite  well :  I  hope  that  in  return  for  the  forbearance 
which  I  show  him  by  not  writing  to  him  also,  he  will  be 
grateful  and  bestow  upon  me  his  fullest  protection ;  be 
kind  enough  to  give  him  heartiest  greetings  from  me. 


TO   WILHELM    FISCHER.  333 

If  Mad.  Devrient  has  already  arrived,  I  ask  you 
likewise  to  give  her  my  respectful  remembrances ;  may 
she  be  and  remain  favourably  disposed  towards  me ! 

From  your  extraordinary  affability,  may  I  venture  to 
expect  that  you  will  let  me  have  a  line  or  two  to  set  me 
at  ease  ?  I  expect  this  as  a  fresh  proof  of  the  un- 
deserved affection  which  you  have  bestowed  on  me,  and 
for  which  I  am  bound  to  deepest  lifelong  thanks.  Be 
assured  that  at  least  this  feeling  will  never  die  within 
me,  even  though  my  power  should  be  too  little  to 
thank  you  in  deed. 

With  the  heartiest  wishes  for  the  prosperity  of  yourself 
and  wife,  I  am  ever 

Your  most  grateful  and  devoted 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 
TEPLITZ,  July  jf/i.  '42. 

"  Zur  Eiche:"   Schonau,  near  Teplitz. 

6. 
DEAR  FRIEND, 

For  certain  reasons — of  which  I  beg  you  to  give 
credit  above  all  to  this  one,  that  in  consequence  of 
something  which  has  occurred  I  am  particularly 
anxious  to  be  free  from  all  duty  on  the  mornings 
required  for  rehearsal — I  have  requested  Herr  Reis- 
siger  to  conduct  the  forthcoming  choir-benefit  concert 
in  my  place,  and  I  have  therefore  forthwith  sent  him 
Handel's  score.  Decidedly  not  the  least  change  will  be 
made  in  the  affair,  whether  Reissiger  or  I  conduct  the 
orchestra.  Nevertheless,  I  am  anxious  that  you  should 
not  imagine  that  any  sort  of  discourtesy  on  my  part 
lurks  behind. 


334  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

— I  am  sure  your  good  opinion  of  me  will  protect  me 
from  this  ! 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 
DRESDEN,  November  yd,  '48. 

7- 
(Address  :  Herrn  Alexander  Mutter,  Professor  der  Musik 

in  Zurich.} 
BEST  FRIEND, 

Unfortunately  I  must  cause  you  the  sorrow  of 
seeing  that  I  am  not  yet  hanged  :  on  the  contrary,  I 
have  to  assure  you  that  I  only  feel  one  honest  grief, 
that  of  knowing  myself  separated  from  the  few  but 
dear  friends,  whom,  in  spite  of  my  wildness,  I  won  to 
myself  in  Dresden.  Yes,  dear,  good  old  Fischer!  I 
would  gladly  see  you  once  more,  to  thank  you  heartily 
for  your  faithful  and  honourable  friendship !  Well,  I 
shall  see  you  again  some  day,  even  were  it  for  the 
first  performance  of  a  new  opera  in  Paris,  whither  we 
should  despatch  you  by  steam.  Only  remain  good  to 
me,  and  always  think  the  best  of  me :  so  shall  we, 
though  at  a  distance,  remain  always  together,  and 
gladly  meet  again  one  day. 

My  wife  must  have  given  you  news  of  me  from  time 
to  time  :  so  I  tell  you  nothing  further  about  myself ; 
should  indeed  not  know  what  to  tell,  except  that  I  am 
industrious,  and  am  working  for  the  future,  in  the  best 
of  spirits. 

I  have  only  one  great  request.  You  can  easily 
imagine  that  my  chief  care  was  anxiety  about  my 
poor  wife.  She  has  now  so  far  recovered  that  she  at 


TO   WILHELM    FISCHER.  335 

last  can  come,  and  I  am  in  daily  expectation  of  a  letter 
from  her,  announcing  her  immediate  arrival.  Daily 
I  wait  in  vain,  and  I  begin  to  worry  myself  as  to 
whether  anything  has  happened  to  her  ? 

Dear  Fischer,  would  you  be  so  kind  as  to  inquire 
at  once  whether  my  wife  is  still  in  Dresden,  and  let  me 
know  at  once  if  perchance  she  should  not  be  well?  If 
you  find  her  still  there,  please  tell  her  that  I  had  not 
written  again  to  her  because  I  daily  expected  the  news 
of  her  arrival :  otherwise  I  would  have  let  her  know 
that  my  prospects  continued  to  improve,  that  I  had 
good  news  from  Weimar,  and  also  that  I  had  seen  to 
everything  here  for  the  immediate  future,  so  that  she 
need  not  in  any  way  be  anxious ;  that  300  gulden  had 
been  advanced  to  me  on  the  score  of  Lohengrin; 
besides  I  have  been  asked  by  several  admirers  to  give 
a  private — but  well-paid — reading  of  my  latest  opera- 
poems  in  the  autumn,  and  later  to  give  a  concert  with 
selections  from  my  compositions.  Thus  she  will  see 
that  the  immediate  future  is  provided  for,  and  by  the 
winter  Liszt  will  be  ready  with  that  which  has  only 
been  delayed  for  the  present !  In  short,  she  must  be 
in  good  spirits  and  come  quickly ! 

Yes,  my  poor  wife  is  my  only  care ;  but  this 
splendid  Switzerland  will,  I  hope,  prove  on  her  its 
wonder-power.  — 

Now  heartiest  greetings  to  poor  Heine  from  the 
bottom  of  my  heart.  Shortly — so  tell  him — I  will 
write  to  him  :  then  I  will  enclose  another  letter  to  you 
also,  dear  Fischer.  You  would  much  oblige  me  if  you 
would  send  news  of  yourself  and  Heine  !  Ah  me  ! 
when  I  think  of  you,  it  gives  me  deep  pain  to  be  so 


336  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

far  from  you.  Well,  let  us  often  think  of  one  and 
another,  and  write  from  time  to  time !  Good-bye, 
dearest,  faithful  friend  !  Be  assured  for  ever  of 
my  most  grateful  remembrance,  and  do  not  exclude 
me  from  your  friendly  memory  !  If  anything  can 
make  you  easy  about  myself,  I  repeat  once  more  to 
you  that,  once  my  wife  is  with  me  again,  I  regret 
nothing,  desire  back  nothing,  except  the  few  dear 
friends,  among  whom  you  and  Heine — almost  alone- 
are  included.  For  the  rest,  I  am  happy  and  in  good 
spirits,  were  it  only  that  I  am  satisfied  to  have  saved 
my  liberty,  and  that  I  am  no  longer  compelled  to 
squander  my  strength  in  vain,  as  was  formerly  the  case. 
I  live  now  entirely  for  my  art.  So  farewell,  be  easy 
about  me,  and  with  your  health  preserve  likewise  your 
friendly  remembrance  of  me. 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

ZURICH,  August  loth,  '49. 

8. 

[In  this  letter  "Du"  replaces  for  the  first  time  the 
more  formal  "Sie." — Tr.] 
MY  toEAR  BROTHER  FISCHER, 

Your  heartfelt  letter,  in  which  you  have  made  me 
your  brother,  I  ought  to  have  answered  at  once,  in  order 
to  express  to  you  my  joy  thereat ;  but  was  I  not  right 
in  assuming  that  I  need  not  assure  you  of  this  joy,  that 
your  own  heart  would  tell  you  better  than  pen,  ink,  and 
paper  how  thankfully  and  gladly  I  received  your  out- 
pourings, how  happy  they  have  made  me  ?  Heine  has 
given  you  my  greetings,  embraces,  and  exclamations, 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  337 

and  probably  told  you  generally  how  I  am.  You  can 
get  quite  recent  news  from  him  about  me,  which  I 
have  thus  no  need  to  repeat  here  ;  I  am  therefore  glad 
not  to  have  to  speak  much  about  myself,  and  I  will 
instead  now  sing  your  song  of  praise. 

How  is  it  that  we  have  held  and  still  hold  together, 
in  spite  of  so  many  points  of  difference  ?  That  under 
other  conditions  you  wish  such  people  as  myself  to  the 
devil,  but  me  you  love,  and  wish  me  well  ?  That  I 
would  unmercifully  fall  tooth  and  nail  upon  many  a  one 
who  in  some  respects  resembled  you,  yet  now  desire 
nothing  better  than  right  fervently  to  embrace  your 
portly  body  ?  I  will  tell  you  exactly  the  reason.  It 
is  this  :  that  everything  in  the  one  of  us  which  does  not 
please  the  other  is  not  his  inmost  being,  but  only  cer- 
tain peculiarities  brought  about  by  our  conditions  of  life, 
which  in  our  contact  with  this  life  now  assume  this 
and  now  that  surface  which  we  present  outermost  as 
we  run  against  and  jostle  one  another  in  this  world. 
Now,  when  a  violent  collision  has  taken  place,  a  moment 
arrives  when  it  must  be  decided  whether  or  no  the  one 
shall  break  deliberately  and  completely  with  the  other ; 
and  it  must  as  often  have  happened  to  you  as  to 
myself,  that  after  one  single  jostle  with  certain  persons 
we  have  found  it  better  to  leave  them  quite  alone, 
recognizing  by  that  occasion  that  our  whole  inner  being 
is  essentially  different,  that  the  one  acts  from  a  warm 
impulse  of  the  heart,  the  other  from  consuming  egoism. 
But  when  we  feel  inclined  to  have  another  bout  with 
one  another  and  send  the  hair  a-flying,  it  is  because  we 
long  to  see  what  the  man  looks  like  without  his  hair ; 
for  we  know  that  this  man  is  just  of  our  own  kidney, 

22 


338  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

• 

and  the  hairs  which  one  lets  fly  are  nothing  more  than 
outer  coverings,  which  have  settled  on  us  from  differ- 
ence of  age,  of  bringing  up,  mode  of  life,  position,  etc., 
and  which  in  such  a  violent  encounter  go  off  thither 
whence  they  came — in  a  measure  to  the  devil. — 

I  have  often  called  you  a.  Philistine;  but  then  we  have 
also  called  R.,  for  example,  a  Philistine.  Are  you  R.'s 
companion  and  like  to  him  ?  Heaven  forfend !  R.'s 
essential  nature  is  as  repulsive  to  you  as  to  me ;  and 
why  ?  Just  because  the  Philistine  nature  is  the  essence 
of  his  being — because,  with  all  his  gifts,  he  is  without 
character,  envious,  cowardly,  and  submissive ;  because  a 
man  of  his  weakness  and  want  of  courage,  for  love  of 
never  a  Cause,  but  only  of  his  own  dear  Self,  which  he 
does  not  even  know  how  to  defend,  would  fain  have 
everything  maintained  just  in  the  way  most  comfortable 
to  himself  and  his  lukewarmness.  Adieu  !  let  such 
persons  flock  with  birds  of  their  own  feather ;  but  no 
one  else  can  make  common  cause  with  them. — Now, 
dearest  Brother  Fischer,  that  is  the  very  opposite  of 
yourself!  For  what  has  always  kept  us  together,  but 
love  of  and  joy  in  this  our  art  ?  One  of  us  understood 
it  so,  the  other  so  ;  but  we  always  understood  it  from 
our  very  hearts  ; — for  us  it  was  always  an  end,  and  not 
a  means.  Your  life,  your  age,  and  your  experiences  had 
placed  you  there,  where  confronted  with  the  wretched 
art-tavernry  of  our  time,  you  thought  but  of  preserving 
the  good  which  you  have  rescued  for  yourself  therefrom : 
you  would  leave  the  scoundrels  lying  strewn  on  right 
and  left,  and  gather  the  sound  thing  wherever  you  might 
meet  with  it,  so  as  to  refresh  yourself  therewith — as  with 
a  sweet  remembrance — and  to  keep  yourself  personally 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  339 

from  the  general  rottenness.  With  all  your  love  for  the 
Cause,  you  have  yet  become  hereby  somewhat  of  an 
egotist.  You  think :  pshaw !  let  the  muck  remain  muck; 
as  for  me,  I  shall  still  hold  on  to  what  is  good  and  in- 
vigorating to  the  heart.  You  were  in  danger  here  of 
becoming  a  downright  self-opinionated  man,  nay,  a  true 
Philistine — had  not  another,  a  younger  and  a  wilder 
fellow,  come — who  will  not  let  the  muck  remain  muck, 
and  seeks  with  both  his  hands  to  sweep  it  away.  For 
the  present  he  is  raising  a  stench  about  you  :  you  are 
annoyed,  and  want  to  fall  upon  the  disturber  of  peace  : 
now  the  hairs  fly  about,  you  recognize  your  man,  and 
at  last  are  driven  to  take  the  peace-disturber  to  your 
heart,  as  affectionately  as  you  have  done  me.  So  it  is : 
chance  things  alone  divide  us,  such  as  age  and  the 
externals  of  life,  perhaps  even  of  our  faculties  ;  but  not 
that  which  is  indispensable  in  both  of  us,  and  that  is 
the  inner  nature.  You  love  the  same  thing  that  I  love. 
You  only  see  it  otherwise  than  I,  because  you  use  quite 
a  different  pair  of  spectacles :  you  want,  above  all  things, 
rest ;  I,  above  all  things,  unrest.  That  you  are  able  to 
love  me,  that  saves  you  from  the  Philistine  egoism  into 
which  the  devil  would  willingly  draw  you,  but  from 
which  your  fresh,  warm,  true  heart  preserves  you. 
But  for  me  nothing  can  be  more  blessed  than  to  be 
beloved  by  a  dear,  honourable  fellow  like  you,  and  from 
this  you  may  judge  of  the  degree  in  which  I  return 
your  love.  Get  leave  of  absence,  and  convince  yourself 
if  you  will  not  believe  it. 

Heine  will  tell  you  how  I  am.  The  earnestness  of 
life  announces  itself — i.e.,  I  do  not  quite  know  what  I 
shall  really  have  to  live  on  ;  that,  indeed,  is  nowadays 


340  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

the  "earnestness  of  life,"  and  people  understand  the 
term  no  other  way.  Does  my  Paris  opera  interest  you 
so  much  ?  Yes,  it  is  not  so  bad  a  scheme,  only  in  the 
best  case  it  is  not  an  affair  which  can  be  settled  quite 
so  quickly.  I  cannot  write  music  to  the  first  French 
libretto  that  comes :  of  my  ideas  for  a  text  not  one  is 
suitable  for  Paris — at  least,  not  as  it  is  now.  If  things 
there  were  as  they  ought  to  be,  and  as  they  very  pro- 
bably soon  will  be,  then  I  should  know  what  to  be 
about.  You  will  be  alarmed  when  you  hear  it,  so  let 
Heine  present  it  to  you  with  a  little  of  his  costume- 
ornamentation.  I  have  already  given  up  the  plan  of 
taking  yourself,  as  choirmaster,  for  the  subject  of  an 
opera. — If  it  is  possible,  i.e.,  if  I  have  money,  I  will 
travel  to  Paris  in  January :  there  the  overture  to 
Tannhduser  shall  be  played  at  a  Conservatoire  concert, 
and  perhaps  on  this  occasion  I  shall  settle  with  my 
poet  on  a  plan.  I  have  not  a  great  desire  for 
Paris :  reflect  a  little  about  it,  and  you  will  understand 
why. 

There  is  a  concert  here  to-day,  in  which  the  great 
duet  from  the  Second  Act  of  the  Flying  Dutchman  will 
be  given,  also  a  fantasia  for  pianoforte  and  clarionet  on 
Tannhciuser. — For  the  rest,  I  go  on  living  here  in  my 
usual  way,  i.e.,  in  a  homely  and  retired  fashion,  and  I 
am  glad  that  my  good  wife  is  with  me.  My  surround- 
ings consist  entirely  of  resident  Swiss  folk  :  I  scarcely 
note  that  there  are  German  exiles  here.  It  is  beautiful 
here,  and  I  would  work  to  my  heart's  content  if  I  were 
only  a  little  assured  as  to  my  livelihood.  I  have  many 
plans  in  my  head,  which  probably  will  in  time  find  the 
proper  way  to  publicity.  I  have  just  finished  my  last 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  341 

literary  work  :  now  my  order  of  the  day  is,  nothing  but 
artistic  work. 

My  wife  would  not  part  with  your  portrait :  it  hangs 
before  her  over  the  work-table,  and  rejoices  my  heart 
every  time  I  look  at  it.  Ah  me  !  what  is  going  to 
become  of  our  dear  Germany  ?  I  know  of  nothing  that 
goes  on  in  the  world,  for  I  scarcely  ever  read  any  news- 
papers now.  Shall  we  ever  see  each  other  again  ? — Let 
us,  at  least,  hear  often  from  each  other  :  that  makes  up 
for  it  to  some  extent ! 

Let  us  hope !  He  who  has  his  heart  in  the  right 
place,  to  him  belongs  the  future:  he  who  is  faint- 
hearted, he  has  his  portion,  and  always  carries  it  about 
with  him — I  mean  in  his  heels.  When  first  I  become 
faint-hearted — then,  farewell  world  !  Better  dead  than 
living ! — Dear  brother,  should  things  remain  as  they 
are,  and  you  ever  get  your  pension,  come  then  and 
settle  down  with  us  in  Switzerland. — Farewell  for  to- 
day !  Receive  affectionate  embrace,  and  hold  me  in 
kind  remembrance,  which  becomes  you  thoroughly  well, 
especially  in  my  eyes !  Minna  sends  quite  immense 
greetings !  Farewell !  and  soon  send  news  to  your 
faithful  brother, 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 
ZURICH,  November  2Oth,  '49. 


DEAREST  OLD  FRIEND, 

You  are  probably  downright  angry  with  me  ? 
—Heine,  at  least,  has  not  replied  to  my  last  letter  :  I 
wrote  him  with  the  request  to  communicate  the  contents 


342  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

to  you.  I  suppose  this  has  been  done,  and  also  pre- 
sume that  you  know  how  Paris — and  also  all  who,  with 
well-meant  but  badly  informed  zeal,  thrust  me  towards 
Paris — brought  me  almost  to  death's  door,  and  in  any 
case  to  complete  despair.  This  was  a  decisive  turning- 
point  in  my  life,  which  now,  at  least,  has  turned  to 
good,  in  that  I  have  become  determined  in  both  my 
resignation  and  my  will. — I  am  looking  out  how  to 
support  myself,  and  at  the  same  time  only  apply  myself 
to  my  art  in  such  a  way  that  I  may  retain  my  pleasure 
in  and  love  for  it.  For  the  rest,  I  reckon  no  more  on 
strokes  of  good-fortune,  and  only  hope,  under  the  pro- 
tection of  noble  and  truly  sympathetic  friends,  to 
maintain  myself  in  as  sound  a  state  as  possible,  so  as 
to  show  myself  useful  to  art  according  to  my  strength 
and  circumstances. 

It  would  heartily  rejoice  me  soon  again  to  have  some 
news  of  you  and  Heine  :  of  you  I  only  know  that  you 
were  near  attending  a  performance  of  my  Lohengrin  at 
Weimar..  Now,  in  any  case,  I  remain  here  in  Zurich, 
where  I  have  found  a  circle  of  very  dear  friends. 
When  one  day  you  put  yourself  on  the  shelf,  you  ought 
really  to  be  so  sensible  as  to  do  it  here.  I  have  no 
words  to  describe  the  pleasantness  of  this  place ;  in  Paris 
I  was  completely  Swiss-homesick  !  The  sturdy,  honest 
race  of  men  would  please  you  very  much,  and  one  can 
also  live  cheaply  here. 

Next  spring  I  shall  set  earnestly  to  work  at  the 
composition  of  my  Siegfried,  of  which,  should  circum- 
stances prove  favourable,  I  expect  quite  a  special 
representation. 

Now  to  a  matter  of  business  ! 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  343 

A  lawyer,  Blechschmidt,  in  Dresden,  has  written  to 
me  about  a  singing  daughter  of  his,  whom  he  would 
like  to  be  trained  according  to  my  advice :  he  says  you 
have  been  her  teacher  hitherto.  I  pray  you,  what  shall 
I  write  to  the  man  ?  I -enclose  a  short  letter,  in  which 
I  refer  him  to  you,  as  you  indeed  ought  to  give  your 
opinion  as  to  whether  she  really  shows  sufficient  talent 
to  be  in  need  of  exceptional  training  ;  in  which  case,  he 
ought,  in  my  judgment — if  he  has  enough  money  for 
that  purpose — to  seek  out  the  best  teacher  he  can  get, 
for  which  I  certainly  give  my  vote  to  Garcia. — Will  you 
arrange  the  matter  with  the  man  ? 

One  thing  more  !  An  unfortunate  Prague  composer, 
H.,  once,  ages  ago,  sent  me  an  opera  of  his,  which  later 
on  he  asked  to  have  back  again.  Some  one  was  to 
fetch  it ;  he  did  not  come,  and  I  forgot  all  about  the 
matter.  Now  he  writes  to  me  here.  My  wife  declares 
that  she  gave  to  you  and  Albert  all  music  of  the  kind 
that  she  found  among  the  things  I  left  behind  me.  I 
presume  that  whatever  my  brother  received  was  handed 
over  to  you  when  he  left  Dresden.  Do  look  one  day 

and  see  if  this  c d  opera  is  amongst  the  music  :  it 

was  only  a  pianoforte  score,  and — I  think — bound  in 
red.  If  you  do  not  find  it,  perhaps  it  is  with  Professor 
Hahnel,  who  would  hand  it  over  to  you  if  you  showed 
him  this  letter. — The  unfortunate  fellow  has  not  even 
written  me  his  address,  and  I  am  therefore  asking  him 
at  the  same  time  to  send  it  you  exact  to  Dresden. 
Then  be  so  good  as  to  send  him  this  opera. 

Sweet  remembrances ! — 

So  you  are  all  getting  on  remarkably  well  at  Dresden. 
I  hear  much  about  Martha — that  the  performance  is 


344  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

going  smoother  and  better.     Ah !  how  I  regret  being 
no  longer  there  ! — 

Good,  affectionate,  old,  faithful  friend  !  Arrange  to 
spend  your  old  age  with  us  by  the  Lake  of  Zurich  :  you 
will  not  regret  it !  A  thousand  hearty  greetings  from 
myself  and  wife,  who  is  quite  well,  and  become  a  regular 
Swiss  !  Farewell !  and  be  no  more  angry 

With  your  thankfully  devoted 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

ZURICH,  November  gth,  '50  (STERNGASSE,  ENGE,  ZURICH). 


10. 

WELL-BELOVED  BROTHER  FISCHER, 

There  has  again  been  a  long  pause,  for  which 
I  can  scarcely  forgive  myself,  as  your  last  letter  indeed 
caused  me  very  great  joy.  Well,  I  had  really  nothing 
very  pressing  to  say  to  you,  except  to  thank  you  for 
your  letter,  and  to  send  heartiest  greetings :  these  I  have 
always  sent  in  my — mostly  business — letters  to  Uhlig, 
and  I  hope  you  have  always  been  duly  served  with  them. 
Now  I  have  cleared  up  several — by  no  means  "political" 
—works  :  spring  is  at  hand,  and  with  the  beautiful 
month  of  May  I  wish  to  set  to  the  composition  of  my 
Siegfried:  but  I  will  first  pay  my  debts — so  far  as 
I  can  with  pen  and  ink ! — and  so  I  am  going  to  write 
to  you  and  Heine.  The  most  difficult  of  all  was  to 
write  intelligently  to  Heine — poor  fellow  !  So  I  first 
commenced  with  him,  and  gave  him  all  the  news  about 
myself,  which  I  should  then  have  had  to  repeat  to  you, 
had  I  not  hit  on  the  ingenious  scheme  of  sending 
Heine's  letter  unclosed  to  you,  so  that  you  might  read 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  345 

it  through  and  then  send  it  on  to  Heine.  Please  do 
this  ! — Does  Heine  still  live  in  the  Jagerstrasse  ?  You 
will  write  the  address,  won't  you  ? 

Now  you  have  learnt  how  I  am ;  and  if  you  are 
satisfied  with  that,  I  must  first  of  all  assure  you  that 
nothing  in  your  letter  rejoiced  me  more  than  your  wish 
that  you  might  come  to  me  here  in  Switzerland,  when' 
you  receive  your  pension.  That  is  the  most  sensible 
thing  you  can  do !  Believe  that,  and  sleep  over  it 
every  night  until  you  come.  In  spite  of  all  temporary 
misere,  I  feel  here  the  courage  of  a  dog  who  has 
got  over  a  whipping  ; — by  a  whipping  I  mean  the 
eternal  soul-and-body-destroying,  aimless,  and  useless 
fight  with  Impossibility,  such  as  I  had  to  carry  on 
for  six  long  years  in  Dresden,  in  my  relations  with 
ignorance  and  insolence.  Now  I  only  do  the  possible, 
and  am  therefore  in  inner  harmony  with  myself,  from 
which  at  last  something  or  other  shall  come  forth ;  for 
from  here  I  can  exert  a  far -more  decisive  influence 
upon  our  art-doings  than  there,  where  in  everything, — 
even  in  my  own  thoughts — I  was  fettered.  Only  wait : 
the  ice  shall  yet  break.  In  Dresden  I  should,  as  Capell- 
meister  "  loci,"  have  become  thoroughly  rusty,  because 
always  spitefully  attacked,  pulled  to  pieces,  and  therefore 
rendered  powerless. — In  my  book,  Oper  und  Drama, 
which  will  appear  shortly,  you  will,  moreover,  read  to 
your  comfort,  that  I  do  not  consider  true  art  possible 
until  politics  cease  to  exist.  Won't  this  make  you 
smirk  ? — 

I  have  read  your  last  letter  through  again,  and 
perceive  that  I  owe  you  many  thanks  for  looking  after 
the  matter  concerning  the  Prague  composer  :  with  that 


346  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

you  have  lifted  a  weight  off  my  heart,  for  the  Bohemian 
tone-poet  really  imagined  I  wished  to  commit  an 
artistic  theft  on  him. — With  regard  to  the  music  I  left 
behind,  I  think  the  shortest  way  would  be  for  you  to 
take  the  stuff  into  your  own  hands.  Only,  if  you  did 
not  know  what  to  do  with  it,  and  the  things  were  in 
your  way,  I  should  after  all  be  glad  if  they  remained 
at  Professor  Hahnel's  !  But  if  you  really  will  trouble 
about  it,  do  whatever  you  think  fit :  Hahnel,  at  any 
rate,  will  be  only  too  glad  to  be  rid  of  the  stuff.  You 
will  probably  not  need  a  special  authority :  I  think  it 
will  be  sufficient  in  any  emergency  to  show  this  letter. 
Perhaps  I  may  ask  you  for  one  or  two  of  the  numbers. 
The  whole  lot  you  could  place,  my  good,  careful  friend, 
wherever  you  think  fit.  If  you  come  to  Switzerland, 
then  we  will  make  further  arrangements. 

The  principal  thing  is  for  you  to  gradually  train 
down  the  Dresden  choir  to  such  a  pitch  of  badness,  that 
Krebs  will  exert  all  his  power  to  get  you  pensioned : 
that  settled,  you  will  come  to  the  Lake  of  Zurich.  You 
will  not  be  the  only  one  of  the  colony  :  others  are 
thinking  about  it.  Who  knows  but  what  we  then  may 
both  begin  to  give  rehearsals  !  In  any  case,  you  shall 
lead  a  comfortable,  independent  life  here  with  us. 
Give  greeting  from  me  to  the  old  .  .  .  . — I  mean  old  X. 
With  this  poor,  careful  man  I  have  endured  no  small 
trouble. — Oh  that  I  should  ever  have  thought  of  making 
anything  by  my  compositions  !  Anyhow,  that  kept  the 
pot  a-boiling.  Yet  I  hear  that  the  business  is  not  doing 
so  badly  after  all :  if  it  were  indeed  to  prosper,  I  should 
for  many  reasons  be  heartily  glad.  Kind  greetings  to 
yours  from  us,  especially  to  your  daughter  who  is  with 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  347 

you.     Rejoice  us  soon  with  news  of  your  welfare,  but, 
best  of  all,  of  your  arrival. 

Farewell,  my  good  old  friend !  Remain  good  to  me, 
and  soon  get  your  pension  ! 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

Heavens  !  if  I  could  only  see  the  dear,  honourable  D. 
once  again.  I  almost  fear  you  do  not  greet  him  from 
me.  I  would  willingly  hear  from  Ed.  D. — Give  a  right 
hearty  kiss  to  L.  from  me ;  but  press  R.  to  your  heart 
for  me. 

II. 

BEST  BROTHER  FISCHER, 

In  hot  haste  to-day  before  post-time  a  line  or  two 
with  a  pressing  request ! — 

I  am  asked  for  the  Tannhauser.  Get  the  theatre 
score  of  Tannhauser  given  to  you  from  the  office,  and 
hand  it  quickly  to  a  good  copyist,  so  that  he  may  copy 
me  the  new  ending  of  the  Third  Act,  and  as  speedily 
as  possible.  --  Then  get  my  music  given  to  you  by 
Hahnel ;  take  from  it  two  copies  of  the  Tannhauser 
score,  pack  them  up  and  send  them — with  the  copied  new 
ending — by  mail-coach  (at  my  expense,  of  course)  to  me 
here.  You  also  might  have  a  second  copy  made  of  the 
ending,  which  you  could  send  to  me  later  on. — If  Hahnel 
gives  up  the  things — and  you  are  willing  to  be  troubled 
with  them — take  everything  to  your  house,  or  do  what 
you  like  with  it ! — So  much,  to-day,  in  haste.— 

How  your  letter  (through  Uhlig)  has  rejoiced  me ! 
Of  that  you  can  form  no  idea  ! — You  shall  receive  an 


348  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

answer  ;  that  I  promise  you  ! — Greet  also  Tichatschek, 
who  has  also  heartily  rejoiced  me :  he  too  will  soon 
receive  an  answer. — Farewell  for  to-day,  and  do  not  be 
angry  with  me  for  giving  you  such  a  lot  of  trouble. 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

ENGE,  NEAR  ZURICH,  July  nth,  '51. 


12. 


DEAREST  BROTHER  FISCHER, 

Again  a  telegraphic  despatch  !  Do  not  be  angry  ! 
— In  Brussels  they  wish,  with  the  energy  of  the  very 
devil,  to  translate  and  perform  my  Lohengrin.  I  shall 
take  all  precautions  that  nothing  foolish  is  done  with  it. 
Now  I  want,  as  quickly  as  possible,  a  score.  So  be 
kind  :  go  to  L.  with  the  enclosed  formal  letter  to  you, 
show  him  the  lines  written  specially  for  the  purpose,  and 
request  him  in  my  name  to  hand  over  to  you  the  score 
of 'Lohengrin  under  the  conditions  therein  named.  When 
Uhlig  once  asked  him  for  the  score,  L.  desired  some- 
thing in  writing  from  me  to  himself.  Give  him  to 
understand  that  I  had  hinted  to  you  that  I  thought  it 
impossible  L.  should  desire  a  letter  from  me  to  himself] 
as  he,  as  well  as  I,  must  surely  feel  how  painful  that 
would  be.  Then  let  me  know  the  result  of  your  trouble, 
so  that  we  may  proceed  farther.  If  L.  lets  you  once  for 
all  have  the  score  for  the  copying  expenses,  thirty-six 
thalers,  you  might  send  it  off  (naturally  unfranked)  to 
the  following  address.  (Stop,  no  !  Only  let  me  know, 
and  wait  for  further  instructions  from  me  /)  You  ought 
to  receive  the  money  from  Frau  R.,  Waiscnhaus- 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  349 

strasse,  No.  4.  If  L.  will  not  give  up  the  score  entirely, 
but  only  lend  it  for  a  copy  to  be  made,  get  Wolfel  to 
attend  to  this  copy  as  quickly  as  possible.  (With  the 
money  the  same  arrangement  holds  good  !)  — 

You  were  right  again  in  your  hesitation  about  Tann- 
tiauser.  Of  course  the  introduction  to  the  Third  Act 
must  be  copied  from  the  altered  form  ;  if  you  will  besides 
mark  down  the  cuts  and  abbreviations  with  pencil,  you 
will  put  me  under  great  obligation. 

—  Good  heavens  !  some  one  is  waiting  for  me  ;  so  I 
must  be  brief!  Do  not  be  angry  with  me  for  bothering 
you  so  !  A  hundred  thousand  greetings  to  Heine  —  best 
thanks  for  your  brotherly  care,  and  farewell  for  to-day. 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

ENGE,  NEAR  ZURICH,  July  22nd,  '51. 

(In  my  official  letter  to  you  I  treat  you  according  to 
old  custom  :  I  thought  you  would  deem  that  best.) 


[Enclosure  to  former  letter.] 

I  am  asked  for  the  score  of  my  opera  Lohengrin. 
I  only  possess  my  original  score,  and  a  copy  of  it 
made  here  would  be  very  expensive,  besides  being  done 
badly  and  slowly.  Now,  Herr  v.  Liittichau  possesses 
a  copy  of  this  score,  for  which,  at  the  time,  he  paid 
the  expenses  of  the  copying  —  thirty-six  thalers.  As  I 
have  already  ascertained,  his  Excellence  has  no  inten- 
tion of  keeping  this  copy  as  a  sort  of  pledge  for  what 
I  unfortunately  owe  to  the  treasury  of  the  Royal 
Court  Theatre  ;  but  on  receiving  back  what  he  spent 


350  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

for  the  copying,  he  would  hand  it  over  to  me  as  my 
property,  as  soon  as  he  were  thoroughly  assured  that, 
at  my  wish,  it  would  be  delivered  to  me  or  to  my 
order. 

Now,  I  presume  that  if  this  letter  is  shown  to  his 
Excellence,  he  will  be  assured  on  that  point,  and  there- 
fore beg  you  to  betake  yourself  to  Herr  v.  Liittichau, 
and  ask  in  my  name  and  at  my  request,  that  the  score 
may  be  put  into  my  possession  in  return  for  the  pay- 
ment of  thirty-six  thalers ;  for  this,  indeed,  is  of  great 
importance  to  me. 

I  pray  you  for  speedy  news  about  this,  and  thank- 
fully remain, 

Yours  most  truly, 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 
ENGE,  NEAR  ZURICH,  July  22nd,  '51. 


14. 


O   YOU    MOST    EXCELLENT    FELLOW,    MAN,    BROTHER, 
FRIEND,  CHORUS-DIRECTOR  AND  MUSIC-COPYIST  ! ! ! 

I  have  just  discovered  what  a  piece  of  work 
you  have  done  for  me — and  indeed  without  saying  a 
word  to  me  about  it !  For  only  now  have  I  had  occa- 
sion to  open  the  packet  which  Heine  sent  me  some  time 
ago,  commissioned  by  you ;  and  as  I  now  look  through 
the  score,  I  recognize  with  deep  feeling  and  astonish- 
ment that  father-brother  Fischer  has  with  his  own 
hand  undertaken  and  carried  out  the  copying  job, 
which  I  thought  had  been  attended  to  by  a  certain 
"Wolfel,"  and  for  the  finishing  of  which  I  expected 
an  account,  which,  after  all,  I  must  now  ask  from 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  3  5  I 

Wilhelm  Fischer,  Sen.  You  are  indeed  a  good  fellow  ! 
— What  now  shall  I  say  ?  To  have  given  you  so 
much  trouble  !  It  is  indeed  more  than  touching  ! — 
Well,  for  the  present :  best  thanks  !  If  I  am  able,  I 
will  one  day  do  more,  or  quite  another  sort  of  thing ! 

The  reason  why  I  formerly  asked  you  to  see  to  the 
Tannhduser  scores  was,  that  the  present  Frankfort 
Capellmeister,  G.  Schmid  (i.e.,  Prince  Eugen),  applied 
to  me — with  an  enclosed  letter  from  the  management 
— and  wished  to  have  the  opera  for  Frankfort.  I 
answered  him,  that  I  certainly  had  no  reason  to  oppose 
the  performance  of  my  opera,  except  where  I  failed  to 
find  either  in  the  artists  or  in  the  taste  of  the  public 
the  conditions  for  an  intelligent  and  good  performance ; 
that  I  had  no  inclination  to  be  scoffed  at ;  but,  on  the 
other  hand,  Frankfort  seemed  disposed  to  that.  He 
must  therefore — his  hand  on  his  heart — answer  this 
question  :  whether  he  felt  capable  of  maintaining  that 
earnest  mood  among  the  singers  which  the  task  de- 
manded, and,  on  the  other  hand,  of  so  influencing 
the  public  that  this  earnest  effort  would  meet  with  its 
reward  ?  I  promised  to  keep  a  score  in  readiness. 
Prince  Eugen  still  owes  me  a  reply — and  the  scores 
remained  unpacked.- — But  a  short  time  since,  the 
Schwerin  Court  Theatre  applied  to  me  :  I  racked  my 
brains  as  to  who  could  have  happened  on  the  thought 
of  Tannhduser;  then  it  occurred  to  me  that  Rockel's 
sister,  the  Frau  Moritz,  is  in  Schwerin ;  she  is  a  highly 
intelligent  vocalist  and  actress,  and  has  certainly 
suggested  the  performance  of  Tannhdtiser,  an  opera 
which  she  knows  ;  this  rejoiced  me,  and  afforded  me 
a  certain  guarantee.  I  consented,  and  received  twenty 


352  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

louis  d'or:  then  I  opened  the  packet. — They  want  to 
give  Loghengrin  at  Leipzig  :  I  will  see  if  they  agree 
there  to  give,  first,  the  Dutchman — then  the  Tann- 
hauser,  and  only  then  the  Lohengrin;  for  thus  only 
can  the  public  become  acquainted  with  me  and  learn 
to  understand  me.  I  would  rather  have  nothing  to  do 
with  Dresden.  First  of  all,  you  have  no  conductor 
there  who  has  the  requisite  intelligence  and  good-will ; 
secondly,  no  lady  vocalists  such  as  I  require ;  and, 
thirdly,  I  cannot  and  will  not  have  anything  more 
to  do  with  the  whole  Dresden  management,  from  A 
to  Z. 

How  stood  matters  formerly,  when  I  was  still  there 
— I  who  had  written  this  opera  specially  for  Dresden, 
and  the  then  members  of  the  company  ?  Then  folk 
thought  good  to  chicane  me  a  little  :  already  the  orders 
for  scene-painting  had  been  given  to  young  Heine, 
when  it  suddenly  occurred  to  L.  to  countermand  every- 
thing. I  was  silent  at  the  time  :  but  you  did  not  know 
how  miserably  depressed  I  felt  to  find  myself  and  my 
artistic  efforts  so  dependent  upon  circumstances,  that 
only  as  a  hypocrite  and  sycophant  could  I  see  any 
prospect  for  my  art.  Pish !  any  one  with  a  grain  of 
honour  takes  himself  off. 

Well,  these  are  old  tales  of  the  past ;  they  have 
become  indifferent  to  me,  and  lately  one  has  received 
sufficient  absolution ;  one  has  now  the  pope  (or  even 
two  popes)  at  hand. — 

My  dear  old  friend  !  Once  for  all,  I  am  built  on 
different  lines  from  what  you  all  suppose,  with  your 
use  and  wont ;  in  me  you  have  to  reap  a  new  experi- 
ence, and  that  is  why  God  sends  new  blood  into  the 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  353 

world.  They  shall  not  drag  me  down  into  the  swamp 
of  old  tradition  and  traditional  commonplace. 

Many  disclosures  as  to  myself  and  the  connection 
between  my  life  and  my  art  will  be  offered  you  in  a 
very  circumstantial  "  Address  "  (Mittheihmg)  that  I  am 
drawing  up  as  a  Preface  to  my  three  older  opera-poems, 
which  will  soon  be  issued  by  Hartels.  Your  love  for 
me  convinces  me  that  this  will  much  interest  you. 
Also  Opcr  und  Drama  will  soon  appear  at  J.  J.  Weber's. 
—I  have  just  written  the  poem  of  a  "  Young  Sieg- 
fried" (of  bright  contents),  and  will  now  set  to  work 
at  the  music.  But  I  am  resolved  first  to  be  in 
thoroughly  sound  health,  so  that  I  may  also  write  good 
healthy  music.  For  this  purpose  I  am  going  on  the 
1 5th  of  this  month  to  a  hydropathic  establishment  in 
the  neighbourhood  :  there  will  I  wash  out  my  body, 
as  now  by  my  literary  work  I  have  washed  clean  my 
intellect 

In  case  I  should  again  want  a  Tannhauser  score,  I 
have  commissioned  Uhlig  to  get  a  dozen  copies  from 
Meser.  So  please  for  the  future  get  him  to  attend  to 
the  scribbling,  etc. ;  he  is  able,  younger  than  you,  and 
can  better  bear  my  plaguing.  But  you,  my  dear  old 
fellow,  I  wish  you  had  long  since  tried  the  water  cure ; 
you  would  not  then  have  found  it  necessary  to  ruin 
yourself  by  going  to  Carlsbad.  For  these  mineral 
baths  do  no  good  :  they  only  weaken  one  more  and 
more. 

With  your  strong  and  powerful  constitution,  I  am 
convinced  that  even  now  a  water  cure  would  free  you 
from  your  complaint,  at  least — that  you  would  be  in 
sounder  health  instead  of  getting  worse.  Listen  to 


354          RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

my  advice  !  Get  your  pension,  come  here,  and  try 
water  in  the  presence  of  and  amid  the  air  of  the 
glorious  Alps  ! 

Is  there  any  more  honour,  joy,  enjoyment,  to  be  got 
out  of  your  surroundings  ?  And  how  long  do  you 
people  think  then  that  your  present  state  will  still  go 
on  ?  Truly  I  trouble  myself  no  more  about  politics ; 
but  even  a  blind  man — unless  he  is  stuck  in  the  thick 
of  it — can  see  that  the  end  will  be  terrible  ! 

(Peps  confirms  this  by  a  sneeze  !)— 

Now,  do  not  be  angry  with  me  if  I  spoil  the  joy 
which  Lohengrin  in  Dresden  would  certainly  have 
caused  you.  But  reflect,  that  nothing  any  more  can 
cause  me  joy  except  what  is  genuine.  The  whole  re- 
solve of  L.  is  not  genuine  ;  it  is  a  mixture  of  a  thousand 
"  I-could-wishes "  and  "  I-would-likes,"  but  not  the 
firm  will  of  a  man  who  knows  what  he  wills  and  whom 
it  concerns.  Or  is  perhaps  R.'s  wish  to  produce  my 
opera  genuine  ?  Get  along  with  all  these  .  .  .  and 
turncoats;  they  shall  not  annoy  me  one  hour  longer. — 

If  I  now  expect  to  be  able  to  get  quite  well,  it  is 
because  I  live  as  pleasantly  as  it  is  possible  in  my 
situation  and  in  my  relations  to  our  present  art-world  : 
I  live  protected  by  the  true  and  genuine  love  of  men 
who  know  me  as  I  am,  and  who  would  not  have  me  a 
jot  otherwise.  I  am  only  to  be  envied. 

Now,  one  thing  more.  I  intended  writing  to  Heine 
at  the  same  time  as  to  you.  As  I  have  not  received  his 
letter  (the  one  sent  through  the  Elberti),  which  was  to 
contain  fuller  details,  I  could  not  in  the  principal  matter 
— i.e.,  in  the  communications  about  myself — write  any- 
thing further  than  what  I  have  written  to  you.  Now, 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  355 

to  save  a  duplicate,  will  you  not  be  so  good  as  to  send 
this  letter  with  the  enclosed  lines  to  Heine,  for  him  to 
look  through  ? 

Do  make  me  happy  by  writing  very  soon  again  :  you 
cannot  think  how  much  I  am  edified  by  your  true  and 
hearty  friendship  !  Heartiest  greetings  from  Minna  and 
self  to  you  and  your  daughter.  Farewell  !  get  strong, 
and  always  think  kindly  of  me. 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

If  you  do  not  write  to  me  for  some  little  time,  my 
address  will  be  :  Albisbrunn,  near  Hausen,  in  the  canton 
of  Zurich. 

15- 

GOOD,   DEAR  FRIEND  ! 

I  have  been  in  debt  to  you  for  a  long  while  for 
your  last  letter,  which  I  received  at  the  hydropathic 
establishment.  With  regard  to  its  principal  contents,  I 
never  quite  knew  what  to  answer  you.  You  reproached 
me  for  my  behaviour  towards  the  Dresden  Theatre 
management,  and  showed  me  in  detail  that  it  was 
unwise  and  ungrateful  to  oppose  their  wish  to  produce 
Lohengrin.  Dearest  brother,  have  you  not  quite  mis- 
understood the  real  state  of  this  matter  ? — I  hear  that 
L.  intends  to  give  my  opera ;  as  I  care  little  for  the 
mere  giving,  but  only  that  it  shall  be  given  well,  I  take 
my  own  measures  to.  guarantee  this,  and  to  prevent  my 
work  from  being  presented  in  a  completely  unintelligible 
fashion.  At  the  same  time,  I  naturally  presumed  that 
the  management  really  intended  to  give  the  opera  ;  had 


356  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

this  been  the  case,  they  presumably  would  really  have 
tried  to  satisfy  my  wishes.  But  what  is  the  real  truth  ?— 
They  are  not  thinking  seriously  of  giving  the  opera  at 
all.  There  you  have  the  whole  story,  and  I  have  only 
made  a  fool  of  myself  in  believing  that  they  were  serious 
in  the  matter.  Have  you  at  present  heard  anything 
more  about  a  performance  of  Lohengrin  in  Dresden  ? 
Certainly  not.  Well,  why  all  this  fuss  ?  as  if  I  alone 
out  of  sheer  obstinacy  prevented  everything,  when 
everybody  else  was  all  aflame  to  take  up  the  work. 
Fiddlesticks  !  leave  me  in  peace  with  your  Dresden 
Theatre  rabble. 

You  have  deeply  touched  me,  however,  by  so  cun- 
ningly attempting  to  produce  again  in  public  a  com- 
position of  mine,  and  I  sincerely  thank  you  for  this 
proof  of  your  great  love  !  By  sending  me  the  pro- 
gramme you  have  caused  me  great  joy, — and — I  had  to 
laugh  heartily  over  it.  But  I  hope  you  thought  of  no 
further  result. 

You  see,  they  have  after  all  given  my  Tannhduser  in 
Schwerin,  and  the  performance  must  really  have  been  a 
good  one ;  otherwise  I  cannot  comprehend  how  the  suc- 
cess, of  which  I  have  received  clear  proof,  could  have 
been  so  great. 

For  the  rest,  even  this  does  not  inspire  me  with  any 
hope  that  my  operas  will  really  spread  now  :  I  know 
these  are  only  quite  solitary  phenomena,  brought  about 
by  a  few  isolated  individuals.  Our  real  theatrical 
market  remains  intentionally  stuck  in  its  beloved  mire, 
and  therefore  I  have  nothing  at  all  to  do  with  it. 

As  you  already  know,  the  theatre-director  Lowe  is 
worrying  me  here  about  the  Flying  Diitclunan.  The 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  357 

man  is  ready  for  sacrifices  of  all  kinds  :  he  wishes  to 
send  specially  to  Munich  for  a  scene-painter,  strengthen 
the  orchestra,  etc.,  etc.  Nevertheless,  I  am  trying  to 
be  rid  of  the  matter ;  but  this  becomes  more  and  more 
difficult,  owing  to  the  pressure  of  my  friends  here. 
Fortunately,  the  musical  director  Schoneck  is  a  tho- 
roughly capable  young  fellow,  on  whom  I  can  rely  for 
the  chief  part  of  the  labour.  So  now  it  is  almost  a 
mere  question  how  we  can  borrow  the  orchestral  parts, 
for  here  they  understand  well  enough  how  to  copy  parts, 
but  not  how  to  copy  them  out  from  full  score.  I  cannot 
apply  to  L.,  as  you  will  understand  :  so  it  comes  to  this, 
whether  you,  or  perhaps  Tichatschek,  would  ask  for  the 
parts  for  yourself,  and  give  a  guarantee  ?  The  reason 
could  be  assigned  that  the  theatre-director  Lowe  had 
applied  to  you  ;  then  he  in  his  turn  would  give  you 
a  guarantee.  Do  see  if  this  can  be  managed  ! 

Uhlig  has  now  received  some  scores  from  me  which 
were  in  Brockhaus'  hands ;  he  must  keep  me  scores 
ready  for  any  emergency,  especially  of  the  Dutchman, 
of  which  I  have  somewhat  retouched  the  instrumenta- 
tion. He  now  asks  whether  it  would  be  more  sensible 
if  he  took  over  everything,  even  what  is  in  your  hands, 
so  as  to  keep  a  proper  account  of  all  that  I  left  behind  ? 
As  I  am  really  bound  to  think  that  the  storage  of 
my  things  must  only  be  a  worry,  and  certainly  no 
pleasure,  I  almost  consider  I  shall  be  doing  you  a  good 
turn  if  I  get  you  to  deliver  everything  over  to  Uhlig. 
That,  nevertheless,  you  can  do  as  you  like  in  the  matter 
need  scarcely  be  said. 

For  the  rest,  we  are  going  on  tolerably  well ;  and  if  I 
get  quite  strong  again,  which  I  hope  will  be  this  spring, 


358  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

I  cannot,  under  present  circumstances,  wish  for  any 
better  existence  than  that  I  now  lead.  How  are  you  ? 
Are  you  still  angry  with  me  about  the  Lohengrin  affair  ? 
My  wife  greets  you  heartily,  good  friend  !  Farewell  ! 

and  keep  us  in  kind  remembrance. 

Your 

R.  W. 

16. 

DEAR  BROTHER  FISCHER, 

I  could  not  answer  you  before  now,  as  the  Flying 
Dutchman  affair  here  remained  in  uncertainty.  I  always 
hoped  to  get  clean  rid  of  the  matter,  and  there  was, 
indeed,  some  prospect  of  that,  as  the  Munich  scene- 
painter  who  had  to  stage  the  opera  here  declared  that 
there  was  not  now  sufficient  time.  My  joy  at  this, 
however,  was  to  be  troubled,  for  the  theatre-director 
here  hunted  up  a  wandering  scene-painter  and  machinist, 
who  has  had  to  make  sketches  for  him  which  certainly 
show  much  ability.  As  besides — and  this  is  the  chief 
reason  for  me — my  friends  here,  after  I  had  let  them 
hear  the  Tannhauser  Overture  (really  extremely  well 
done),  quite  seized  me  by  the  throat,  insisting  on  my 
producing  one  of  my  operas  :  I  at  last  said  yes,  and 
can  no  longer  draw  back.  So  the  Flying  Dutchman  is 
to  come  out  in  the  second  half  of  April,  and  now  for 
honour's  sake  I  am  anxious  that  the  performance  shall 
not  be  bad.  The  singers  that  I  required  for  this  opera 
are  really  quite  good,  especially  the  soprano  and  the 
barytone  ;  whatever  else  has  to  be  procured  will  be 
attended  to.  So,  now  I  must  ask  you  to  see  to  the 
orchestral  parts.  I  enclose  the  desired  lines  to  Tichatschek. 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  359 

for  L.,  and  request  that  you  will  see  that  they  are 
despatched  with  all  haste. 

The  vocal  and  chorus  parts  are  already  copied  out, 
and  rehearsing  has  commenced ;  so  I  only  want  the 
orchestral  parts.  But  as  it  will  be  impossible  to  copy 
the  parts  by  the  time  the  orchestral  rehearsals  begin, 
of  which  I  must  hold  a  great  number,  I  beg  you  also 
to  send  the  duplicate  parts :  three  first  violin,  two 
second,  two  viola,  three  'cello  and  double  bass  parts,  and 
all  for  the  wind  instruments. 

So  as  not  to  give  you  too  much  trouble,  I  advise  you 
to  get  Uhlig  to  see  to  the  packing  and  sending  off;  I 
know  he  has  a  large  supply  of  packing  canvas.  Any- 
how, now  that  it  has  got  so  late,  the  packet  must  be  sent 
direct  by  post  and  not  by  carrier,  and  to  the  address  of 
theatre-director  Lowe  in  Zurich.  So  I  count  on  having 
the  parts  here  at  latest  by  the  end  of  this  month. 

Now,  do  not  be  angry  with  me  about  this  vexa- 
tion ! 

But  whenever  are  you  coming  to  us  in  Switzerland  ? 
My  wife  and  I  count  for  sure  on  having  you  here  once 
again  with  us.  Let  us  know  your  plans  about  this  ! 
What  great  pleasure  can  you  still  get  from  Dresden  ? 
— A  nephew  of  yours  is  already  here,  and  is  now  a 
low-comedian  at  the  theatre.  Candidly,  I  wish  him  an 
engagement  with  a  good  troupe  ;  he  is  excellent,  full  of 
talent,  and  quite  a  different  sort  of  fellow  from  your 
ordinary  buffoon.  ...  I  often  go  to  the  theatre  when 
he  acts.  Tell  this  to  your  brother.  (The  family  likeness 
to  yourself  has  quite  touched  us  !) 

I  wish  Heine  would  again  let  me  know  something 
about  his  son's  fate  :  I  have  nothing  interesting  to  tell 


360  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

him,  but  certainly  he  has  to  me.     Do  you  know  any- 
thing about  his  Wilhelm  ? 

Good-bye  for  to-day,  you  good  old  friend  !     Forgive 
me  these  mere  business  letters  !     Soon  more  from  your 

RICHARD  W. 


MY  DEAR  FRIEND  AND  BROTHER, 

I  must  heartily  thank  you  for  the  fresh  act  of 
friendship  which  you  have  just  shown  me  by  seeing 
to  the  parts  of  the  Flying  Dutchman.  Director  Lowe 
has  assured  me  that  the  full  score  and  parts  are  on  their 
way  to  Dresden,  addressed  to  you,  and  sent  by  goods- 
mail,  as  I  myself  advised  ;  for,  on  the  one  hand,  the 
packet  could  not  be  addressed  to  Dresden  per  post  ;  on 
the  other  hand  —  as  far  as  I  know  —  there  was  no  special 
hurry.  You  people  will  probably  never  want  the  parts 
there  again,  and  thus  never  settle  the  debt  which 
Dresden  has  to  pay  me  for  this  opera.  For  now  more 
than  ever  have  I  recognized  how  bad  was  the  performance 
which  Dresden  gave  of  this  my  work,  inasmuch  as  I 
have  been  forced  to  recognize  —  without  any  illusions  — 
that  even  in  such  a  hole-and-corner  theatre  as  the  one 
here  it  was  possible  to  bring  about  a  thoroughly  efficient, 
and  therefore  effective  performance.  When  I  recall 
what  an  extremely  clumsy  and  wooden  setting  of  the 
Flying  Dutchman  the  imaginative  Dresden  machinist 
Hanel  gave  on  his  magnificent  stage,  I  am  seized  even 
now  with  an  after-attack  of  rage.  Herrn  Wachter's 
and  Risse's  genial  and  energetic  efforts  are  also  faith- 
fully stored  up  in  my  memory  !  That  during  my  six 
years'  Royal  Capellmeistership  I  could  not  succeed  in 


TO     WILHELM     FISCHER.  361 

again  bringing  out  this  opera  (with  Mitterwurzer,  etc.), 
and  getting  it  respected,  can  only  be  realized  by  one  who 
has  some  conception  of  what  a  Dresden  Court  Theatre  is. 

All  the  more,  I  must  frankly  acknowledge  it,  has  the 
hole-and-corner  performance  here  rejoiced  me.  Certainly 
I  undertook  it  only  and  solely  for  the  sake  of  some  of 
my  friends  here,  who  wished  to  form  their  own  idea 
of  me ;    naturally,   I  was  highly  indifferent  as  to  the 
public,  success,  etc.,   since  I  was  only  concerned  to 
bring  the  matter   to  light  in  as  intelligible  a  way  as 
possible.     Now,  not  only  was  I  successful  in  this,  but 
I  perceive  the  unusually  strong  impression  which  the 
performance  itself  made  upon  the  mass  of  the  public  ; 
while  the  singers  (especially  the  representative  of  the 
principal  role,  the  barytone  Pichon)  I  so  drew  out  of 
themselves,   that  they  not  only  astonished   the  public 
by  the  novelty  of  their  rendition,  but  often  even  gave 
myself   most    lively    satisfaction.      The   scenery   was 
naturally  poor,  coarse,  and  on  a  small  scale ;  but  yet, 
in  obedience  to  my  suggestions,  everything  was  fully 
indicated,  and  carried  out  in  accordance  with  the  aim  ; 
so  that    this   performance  might  well  serve  as  model 
to  the  larger  stages,  which  would  only  have  to  furnish 
everything  with  greater  refinement  and  wealth  of  detail. 
The  orchestra  was    reinforced,   and    was    right    good, 
often  quite  excellent.      The  chorus,  which  was  rein- 
forced by  all  the  comedians  who  had  any  voices,  and 
singers    not    otherwise    engaged,   was   fresh    and    full 
of  life.     Your  nephew  played  the  Daland — and,  indeed, 
right  well. 

Although  I  had  the  misfortune  at  the  first  performance 
that   the   principal   singer  was    hoarse  from   the  very 


362  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

commencement,  the  opera  had,  nevertheless,  such  a 
success,  that  in  eight  days  it  was  given  four  separate 
times,  to  full  houses,  with  subscription-list  suspended, 
and  the  prices  raised  as  never  before.  The  director  was 
quite  unhappy  that  he  had  already  booked  the  railway- 
seats  for  the  departure  of  his  company  to  Geneva,  for 
he  could  now  have  counted  on  giving  the  opera  yet 
five  times  more  in  the  following  eight  days,  with  the 
same  success  throughout. 

The  trying  work  has  certainly  fearfully  exhausted 
me,  for  naturally  this  result  was  only  possible  by 
means  of  the  most  terrible  rehearsals.  Still,  I  think 
I  shall  soon  get  all  right  again,  and  shortly  set  to  my 
new  work. — So  much,  then,  for  this  affair  ! — 

Now,  I  particularly  ask  you  to  give  me  news  of 
Heine.  I  hear  he  has  insisted  on  being  pensioned  off, 
and  is  now  returning  to  Dresden.  He  might  write 
once  more,  to  give  me  news  of  himself,  his  family, 
and  especially  of  Wilhelm.  Please  impart  to  him  what 
I  have  told  you  here  about  myself.  I  send  heartiest 
greetings  to  him  ;  may  he  always  keep  me  in  kind 
remembrance ! 

With  regard  to  yourself,  I  still  stick  to  it  that  I  ex- 
pect you  soon  in  Switzerland.  A  male  choir  of  at  least 
two  thousand  will,  I  hope,  suffice  for  your  activity,  and 
that  I  can  procure  for  you  here.  With  this  decoy- 
song  I  will  now  conclude,  and  indeed  with  the  very 
best  wishes  for  your  prosperity  from  Minna  and  mjself ! 
Thanks  for  all  kindnesses,  and  ever  remain  good  to 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  March  gih,  '52. 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  363 

P.S. — Has  your  Wilhelm  tannhausered  at  Cassel  ? 
I  hope  it  has  gone  off  well  ?  I  no  longer  quite  trust 
old  Spohr  to  conduct  the  Overture  to  T.  :  let  us  hope 
W.  helped  him. 

18. 

DEAREST  BROTHER  FISCHER, 

In  the  old  year  I  rated  you  soundly  through 
Heine :  in  the  new  I  must,  on  the  other  hand,  wheedle 
you  into  doing  me  a  kindness. — You  know  about  Uhlig's 
illness,  and  can  well  understand  how  painful  it  is  to  me 
to  load  him  now  with  commissions.  But  things  have 
got  into  fearful  confusion  ;  at  Breslau  and  Schwerin 
they  are  anxiously  waiting  for  the  revised  score  of  the 
Flying  Dutchman.  For  this  "  revision  "  twro  pattern- 
scores  were  necessary ;  according  to  which  the  new 
scores  were  to  be  prepared — from  the  one,  the  Overture 
and  the  instrumental  close  of  the  last  Act ;  from  the 
other,  all  the  rest  of  the  instrumentation.  .  Till  now  both 
the  scores  were  at  Weimar,  in  order  that  the  score  there 
might  be  arranged  according  to  them ;  when  Uhlig  asked 
for  them  there  was  some  delay,  and  only  a  few  days  ago 
Liszt  announced  to  me  that  they  would  be  sent  off.  In  any 
case,  I  now  presume  that  they  have  arrived  in  Dresden. 
But  in  order  that  the  two  copies  required  (for  Breslau 
and  Schwerin)  may  be  more  quickly  arranged,  there 
occurs  to  me  a  score  revised  by  my  own  hand  which — 
gratis  and  of  my  own  accord — I  sent  to  the  Dresden  Court 
Theatre  (at  the  time  when  this  opera  was  to  have  been 
put  into  rehearsal  there).  From  this  score  I  conducted 
the  opera  last  Easter  here  in  Zurich  :  the  Dresden  Court 
Theatre  can  have  no  earthly  claim  to  it,  as  it  already 


364  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

possesses  an  older  score  of  the  opera  ;  the  new  copy 
was  merely  given  by  me  to  the  office  for  the  purpose  of 
having  the  parts  arranged  thereby  ;  moreover,  I  have 
in  no  way  given  it  into  the  possession  of  the  manage- 
ment. (It  would  be  different  if  it  were  intended  to  give 
the  opera  in  Dresden:  then  I  should  say,  "Arrange 
the  old  Dresden  score  according  to  this  one  !  ")  So — this 
second  score  belongs  to  me,  and  I  beg  you  to  make 
clear  my  title  to  it  and  demand  it  back  :  God  willing, 
this  opera  also  is  likely  to  be  more  widely  given,  and 
as  I  do  not  possess  many  copies  of  the  score,  this 
detention  is  of  special  moment.  Uhlig  could  keep 
this  score  to  serve  as  a  model  for  the  future,  while  the 
revised  copy  (which  we  received  back  from  Leipzig) 
could  be  sent  at  once  to  Breslau.  Thus  it  would  only  be 
a  case  of  speedily  arranging  a  copy  for  Schwerin  on  the 
lines  of  that  obtained  back  from  Dresden.  For  both 
places — Breslau  and  Schwerin — there  will  only  be  one 
thing  further  to  see  to — namely,  that  the  Overture,  and 
the  instrumental  close  of  the  Third  Act,  should  still  be 
specially  revised  according  to  that  score,  which  I  sent 
last  year  to  Uhlig  from  Zurich.  (Mind,  this  change  is 
contained  neither  in  the  second  Dresden  nor  in  the 
Leipzig  score.)  A  correct  model  copy,  as  well  as  a 
reserve  theatre  copy,  must  be  prepared  immediately 
after  this. 

N.B. — If  L.  makes  difficulties  about  giving  up  the 
score,  it  might  be  merely  lent  for  the  while  ;  if  every- 
thing is  granted,  then  the  old  theatre  score  must  also  be 
arranged  at  my  cost :  more  he  certainly  cannot  ask. — 

Do  be  so  kind,  old  sinner !  Look  after  the  forty- 
year-old  stripling  for  me !  I  cannot  now  trouble 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  365 

Uhlig  with  anything  ! — You  will  soon  hear  further  from 
me.  Have  you  commenced  the  new  year  well  ?  Your 
"  unwise,"  "  unpolitical "  friend  wishes  you  much  health 
and  happiness. 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

ZURICH,  January  2nd,  '53. 

19. 

DEAR  FISCHER, 

I  really  thought  you  could  bear  a  cuff  better  than 
your  touchy  reply  seems  to  show.  I  am  sorry  that  you 
took  the  few  words  to  Heine  in  a  more  offensive  sense 
than  they  were  meant.  It  is  self-evident  that  we  cannot 
be  of  one  mind  in  everything;  and  that  you  did  not  under- 
stand my  intention  with  the  Guide  to  Tannhauser,  could 
not  but  become  clear  to  me,  in  that  you  regarded  it 
altogether  as  a  stupid  stroke  of  work.  But  what  of 
that  ?  You  are  quite  right — one  single  conversation 
would  bring  us  to  a  better  understanding,  even  on  such 
matters,  than  all  our  occasional  scribbling  !  There  is, 
however,  no  doubt  between  us  as  to  the  chief  matter ! 
So — forgive  me  ! — 

Under  the  painful  impression  of  the  news  of  Uhlig's 
death,  I  cannot  say  anything  more  to-day  than  what  I 
am  compelled  to  from  business  considerations. 

You  will  have  received  my  lines  of  January  2nd,  and 
thereby  the  matter  of  the  scores  will  have  become  per- 
fectly clear  to  you. — I  am  writing  at  once  to  Liszt  about 
the  second  score,  in  which  last  year  I  considerably  re- 
modelled the  Overture  (especially  the  concluding  section), 
and,  in  correspondence  therewith,  the  ending  of  the  last 
finale.  Meanwhile,  it  would  be  well  to  see  if  perchance 


366  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

this  score  is  at  Uhlig's.  Moreover,  I  will  send  to-day 
for  the  (theatre)  score  here.  If  the  change  is  properly 
entered,  I  will  send  off  this  copy  by  post  to  you  this 
very  day  ;  so  that,  if  the  copy  supposed  to  be  at  Weimar 
(but  certainly  delayed)  does  not  yet  come,  the  Overture 
and  the  ending  of  the  last  Act  can  still  be  set  right  by 
the  score  from  here.  As  Breslau  has  been  waiting  for 
a  long  time,  I  advise  you,  as  soon  as  one  score  has  been 
revised  in  other  respects,  to  send  it  off  at  once,  and  at  the 
same  time  tell  them  that  all  the  parts  may  be  copied  out 
by  it,  except  the  Overture  and  the  instrumental postlude  of 
the  last  finale  (from  page  409  and  onwards).  Cut  both 
these  out  of  the  score,  and  then  send  them  on  as  soon 
as  they  are  corrected.  But  Schwerin,  likewise,  must  be 

attended  to  very  quickly. — That  L has  caused 

me  terrible  confusion  ! ! — 

Further  ! !  If  you  are  willing  to  take  into  your  hands 
all  my  things  now  lying  in  Uhlig's  house,  and  to  under- 
take various  commissions  for  me,  respecting  revision  and 
sending  off  of  scores,  nothing  could  be  more  welcome 
to  me.  Formerly,  I  wished  to  spare  you  this. — Heaven 
witness  ! ! — The  demand  for  scores  will  only  last  about 
a  year  longer  ;  then  Lohengrin  will  be  obtainable  through 
Hartels. 

So  if  you  will,  receive  beforehand  my  best  thanks  and 
my  congratulations  on  your  energy. — I  will  soon  write 
more !     To-day- 
Minna  sends  hearty  greetings  !     Greetings  to  Heine, 
too,  from  both  of  us.     Farewell  and — no  offence  !  ! 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

ZURICH,  January  S(h,  '53. 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  367 

2O. 
BEST  FRIEND, 

These  lines  will  probably  reach  you  at  the  same 
time  as  the  score  I  sent  off  yesterday.  I  will  only  add 
something  I  omitted.  Possibly  you  have  already  sent 
off  a  score  to  Breslau  :  in  any  case,  it  is  certainly  best  to 
have  the  ending  of  the  Overture  and  of  the  last  Finale 
written  afresh  :  it  is  not  much  :  eight  pages  in  the  Over- 
ture— from  page  43  on — and  five  pages  in  the  Finale — 
from  page  409  on. — But  in  the  case  of  the  Overture 
detailed  instructions  for  the  phrasing  also  must  be  added 
— perhaps  in  a  textual  note,  indicating  page  and  bar. 
If  you  have  not  already  sent  off  the  score,  you  might  do 
this  at  once — as  soon  as  the  rest  is  finished — and  say 
that  the  other  would  follow. — Good  heavens  !  I  am  quite 
unhappy  at  the  terrible  delay  through  this  dilly-dallying  : 
in  Breslau  the  performance  was  to  take  place  in  the 
middle  of  this  very  month,  and  the  fault  is  owing  to 
that  alone. 

Do  write  without  paying  the  postage.     Good-bye  ! 

Your 
R.  W. 

Mehner( extra  musician)  is  a  good  and  careful  copyist. 
Make  haste  about  Schwerin  too  !  ! 

21. 

DEAR  OLD  FELLOW, 

I  was  already  about  to  write  to  you,  when  I  re- 
ceived a  letter  from  Cassel,  which  doubles  my  reason 
for  writing.  So — Wilhelm  has  really  managed  to  get  me 
from  there  an  official  order  for  the  score  of  Tannhduser, 


368  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

( Probably  the  recent  success  of  the  opera  at  Frankfort 
lent  a  helping  hand.)  Now,  I  must  ask  you  to  send  off 
a  completely  revised  score,  of  Tannhduser  to  the  intendant 
of  the  Court  Theatre  at  Cassel.  There  probably  is  at 
least  one  such  copy  in  reserve — inquire  of  Uhlig's 
widow  in  case  everything  has  not  been  sent  to  you. 
Now,  you  will  make  a  nice  grimace  ! ! ! — for  I  also  ask 
you  to  enclose  with  the  score  Jive  copies  of  the  "  Guide 
to  Performance  "  (pamphlet)  :  they  are  to  be  given  to 
the  four  principal  actors  and  the  stage-manager.  (I 
have  never — between  ourselves — expected  that  this 
Guide  would  be  followed  to  the  letter :  but  partly  it  has 
been  and  is  a  necessity  to  me,  on  such  occasions,  to 
express  my  full  intention;  and,  partly,  I  know  that 
people  at  least  hereby  receive  a  shock,  which  tears  them 
so  much  away  from  their  customary  humdrum  ways, 
as  has  been  hitherto  the  case  with  all  the  recent  per- 
formances of  Tannhauser — much  to  the  advantage  of 
the  latter.) 

Be  so  good  as  to  let  X.  know  about  this  new  order ; 
this  is  on  account  of  the  books  of  words  ! — 

I  thank  you  very  much  for  seeing  to  the  Dutchman 
scores.  With  regard  to  this  matter,  I  beg  you  to  have 
another  pattern-score  got  ready  quickly  (with  every- 
thing complete),  and  to  send  me  back  the  score  which  I 
lately  sent  direct  from  here,  as  it  does  not  belong  to  me, 
but  to  the  theatre-director  Lowe.  I  then  should  like 
to  know  how  many  scores  of  the  Flying  Dutchman  you 
have  still  in  reserve. 

Apropos  !  Wilhelm  writes  to  me  that  he  has  already 
asked  you  for  the  Dresden  sccnarium ;  so  will  you  be 
good  enough  to  see  to  the  designs,  etc.  ? 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  369 

Probably  you  will  again  need  a  reserve  supply  of 
revised  Tannhciuser  scores :  Uhlig  always  insisted  on 
having  two  ready.  He  sent  me  an  account  of  the  ex- 
penses half-yearly.  Now,  please  tell  me  how  you  wish 
to,  or  can,  manage  in  this  matter  ?  Surely  you  will 
prefer  that  I  should  give  you  something  in  hand  for 
your  outlay  ?  Answer  me  quite  freely  on  this  matter  ! — 

Kr.  wrote  to  me  lately ;  for  the  moment,  give  him 
kind  greetings  from  me,  and  thank  him  for  his  letter. 
Tell  him,  further,  that  I  intend  shortly  to  lay  the 
whole  details  of  my  Dresden  indebtedness  before  a 
lawyer  (I  think  Schirmcr),  and  to  get  him — in  the 
interest  of  my  creditors — to  look  carefully  into  the 
publishing  business  of  my  operas.  I  had  already  re- 
peatedly asked  Uhlig  to  commission  Schirmer  to  call 
together  my  creditors,  in  order  to  receive  authority 
from  them  to  supervise  the  business  in  their  interest. 
I  fear,  however,  that  it  was  never  taken  up  with  the 
proper  energy.  Anyhow,  X.  has  not  made  much  by  it 
hitherto,  for  he  has  had  from  time  to  time  to  pay  the 
costs  of  carrying  it  on  out  of  his  own  scanty  pocket. 
Now,  it  would  be  advisable  if  my  creditors,  by  their 
empowered  attorney,  were  to  get  the  business  into 
their  own  hands,  and  manage  it  for  themselves.  For  I 
feel  certain  that  in  time  this  publishing  property  would 
fully  satisfy  my  creditors. 

I  will  then  ask  P.  to  withdraw  for  the  present  in 
favour  of  Kr.  :  he  can  best  do  it,  I  suppose  ? 

Farewell  for  to-day.  Hearty  thanks.  Greet  the 
Heines  from  us,  and  remain  good  to  your 

R.  W. 

ZURICH,  Jamtarv  2isf,  '53. 

24 


370  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

It  is  possible  that  you  may  shortly  receive  back  the 
Berlin  score  of  Tannhauser;  for  I  have  demanded  it 
back.  Instead  of  nozv  at  fast  taking  up  my  opera,  they 
are  studying  there  the  Feensec  and  Flotow's  Indra :  this 
is  a  downright  piece  of  impudence.  I  now  prefer  to 
break  entirely  with  them  ;  for  it  is  then  positive  that 
next  winter  Liszt  will  receive  a  commission  through 
the  Prince  of  Prussia  to  perform  Tannhauser  and 
Lohengrin  in  Berlin.  This  to  comfort  Heine  !  ! 

22. 

DEAR  OLD  FELLOW  ! 

A  commission — (not  a  request,  because  that,  in 
fine,  you  would  not  grant  me :  whereas  I  presume  that — 
as  my  duly  appointed  manager — you  would  attend  to 
my  "  commission  "  !) 

So!— 

If  by  this  evening  you  have  not  received  back  the 
score  of  Tannhauser,  then 

I  commission  you 

at  once  to  write  to  the  General-Intendant  of  the  Royal 
Theatre  in  Berlin,  and  request  that  the  said  score  be 
forthwith  returned,  as  I  have  otherwise  disposed  of  it. 

But  I  hope  you  already  have  it  : — for  I  now  know 
for  certain  that  in  any  case  the  Berlin  people  would  not 
have  given  the  Tannhauser. 

But  all  this  will — probably — turn  out  well.  Only 
rely  (you  and  Heine  also)  upon  Liszt,  as  I  do. 

Good-bye  for  to-day,  you  excellent  business-manager ! 

Soon  more  from  your  godless 

R.  WAGNER. 

ZURICH,  January  2gt/i,  '53. 


TO    WiLHELM    FISCHER.  371 

23. 
DEAR  BROTHER ! 

(In  haste  !)  Genee  in  Dantzig  wants  Tannhauser: 
I  have  asked  ten  louis  d'or,  and  referred  him  to  you 
about  the  ordering.  If  he  writes,  you  are  to  send  it ; 
so  take  the  agreed  honorarium  as  a  postal  advance  on 
the  book  and  score — together  with  four  copies  of  the 
Guide.  Keep  as  much  of  the  money  as  you  think  you 
will  require  for  disbursements,  and  give  the  rest  to  my 
mother-in-law,  Frau  Planer  (Hcrzogin-Garten,  No.  7). 

Good-bye!  Soon  more  and  much  from  your  incor- 
rigible but  grateful 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

ZURICH,  February  2^th,  '53. 

If  you  receive  an  order-slip  with  postal  certificate 
for  ten  louis  d'or  from  Freiburg,  send  off  at  once  a 
Tannhauser  score ! 


24. 

Now  do  say,  my  dear  old  freind  and  brother, 
whatever  can  be  amiss  between  us.  I  was  surprised 
enough  to  have  received  no  news'  from  you  for  so  long, 
but  now  I  am  suddenly  horrified  by  receiving  a  letter 
from  Dresden,  in  which,  among  other  things,  I  am  in- 
formed that,  some  one  having  asked  you  for  my  news, 
you  answered  that  I  (and  Heine)  did  not  concern  you 
any  more  ! — Now,  for  Heaven's  sake,  tell  me  whether 
anything  has  again  happened  ?  Since  our  last  rencontre 
we  had — I  thought — got  on  very  well  ?  You  had 
written  your  opinion,  I  mine,  and  everything  was  quite 
in  order !  Have  you  meanwhile  had  a  quarrel  with 


372  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Heine,  in  which  I  also  am  concerned  ?  If  this  should 
be  serious,  it  would  indeed  be  sad  !  But  it  is  now 
some  time  since  I  heard  from  either  of  you.  So  please 
say  what  is  up  ?  You  cannot  expect  me  to  rest  quiet 
in  such  a  state  of  matters  ?  Or  how  were  it  possible 
that  in  your  old  age  you  should  all  at  once  bear  me 
a  serious  grudge  ?  I  cannot  possibly  bear  you  one  ! 

So — write  to  me  at  once  !  Or  else  can  I  no  longer 
hang  my  opera-concerns  about  your  neck.  If  you 
are  unwilling  to  have  anything  more  to  do  with  me,  I 
cannot  at  least  remain  any  longer  a  burden  to  you,  and 
some  one  else  must  attend  to  the  business  matters. 

—But — is  it  then  really  so  serious  ?  ?  I  cannot 
believe  it !  Certainly  some  bee  has  again  got  into 
your  bonnet  :  how  often  has  each  of  us  spied  out  such 
an  insect  before  !  Put  me  at  ease  at  once,  and  leave 
me  no  longer  in  this  uncertainty. 

Hearty  greetings  from  Minna.  Your  picture  is  well 
preserved,  and  you  look  down  from  it  far  too  good- 
naturedly  for  me  to  believe  that,  blind  with  rage,  and 
roaring  like  the  lion  from  the  Midsummer  Nights 
Dream,  you  would  tear  to  pieces  my  portrait,  which 
I  now  enclose. 

Farewell,  and  set  things  straight  ! 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

ZURICH,  April  I2th,  '53. 

25. 

DEAR  FRIEND, 

Please    pack    up    quickly  a  copy  of   the  Ricnzi 
Overture,  which  you  will  find  separate — in  very  elegant 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  373 

binding — among  the  music  I  left  at  Dresden,  and  send 
it  to  Herr  Musikdirektor  Edele  in  Berne.  I  hope  you 
are  friendly  ?  Good-bye. 

Your 

RICHARD  W. 

ZURICH,  April  141/1,  '53. 

26. 

DEAR  OLD  FELLOW, 

I  am  sorry  that  your  extreme  conscientiousness 
has  caused  Michaelson  an  unmerited  delay :  anyhow, 
he  was  right  in  deducting  one  louis  d'or.  It  is 
naturally  difficult  to  get  money  from  these  small 
theatres,  and  I  have  therefore  conceded  M.'s  request 
for  10  per  cent,  commission,  because  (as  was  the  case 
with  Genee)  he  mostly  has  to  pay  down  cash,  and  then 
wait  some  while  before  he  can  squeeze  it  back  from  the 
management. 

I  thus  have,  at  all  events,  the  advantage  of  having 
nothing  to  do  with  the  pack  of  ragamuffins,  and  safely 
receive  my  money  in  advance. — Therefore,  another  time 
you  may  place  greater  trust  in  Michaelson  :  up  to  now 
he  has  always  acted  fairly  with  me ;  if  he  ever  plays 
any  tricks,  it  will  be  all  up,  and  he  will  receive  no  more 
scores.  So  for  the  future,  even  without  special  directions 
from  me,  you  can  send  him  what  he  asks  for,  as  soon  as 
he  encloses  a  postal  order  for  at  least  nine  louis  d'or. 
He  must,  besides,  send  you  the  honorarium  for  Konigs- 
berg  (ten  louis  d'or — without  discount)  ;  take  what 
you  want  from  it  for  expenses,  and  give  the  rest  to 
Heine,  so  that  he  may  get  a  supply  of  decoration-  and 
costume-sketches  (scenarium}  ready.  When  they  are 
exhausted  (Hamburg  has  already  announced  itself), 


374  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

only  tell   me,   so  that   I   may  make  further  arrange- 
ments. 

Best  thanks  for  your  letter.:  congratulations  about 
Teplitz !  My  musical  festival  was  certainly  fine ;  I 
have  never  experienced  a  purer,  pleasanter  impression. 
(Only  think,  the  expenses  amounted  to  over  9,000 
francs  !)  Wilhelm  ought  to  write  to  me  how  things 
have  gone  off  in  Cassel !  I  am  glad  he  is  with  you. 
You  are  a  devil  of  a  fellow  :  what  stuff  there  still  is  in 
you  !  I,  also,  have  hopes  of  my  health :  I  shall  soon 
compose  again. — I  think  you  are  making  the  Nibelung's 
ring  your  own. — 

Good-bye,  you  dear  old  soul  !  I  have  such  a 
terrible  lot  of  letters  to  write,  that  I  must  really  cut 
it  short. 

Cordial  greetings  to  Heine  and  to  your  people  from 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  June  \^th,  '53. 

27. 

DEAREST  ! 

I  wrote  to  you  yesterday  !  To-day  I  answer 
briefly  what  is  necessary  in  reply  to  your  letter  just 
received. — 

It  is  all  right  about  Carlsruhe,  although  E.  Devrient 
may  not  have  said  anything  yet  about  the  honorarium, 
which,  for  the  rest,  is  a  subordinate  matter  here. 

Please  have  some  more  scores  in  readiness  :  you  will 
shortly  have  to  send  off  a  good  number  again.  How 
are  matters  with  Darmstadt  ? — 

In  Hamburg  they  wanted  the  Tannhciuser  on  terms 
of  a  royalty  :  thereupon  I  asked  for  fifty  louis  d'or  in 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  375 

advance  (because  I  place  no  trust  in  the  fellows). 
They  asked  me  to  desist  from  this  demand,  whereon  I 
do  not  intend  to  answer  them  at  all. 

Things  are  moving  too  in  Austria :  for  example, 
Gratz  !  (stupid  affair  !). — I  am  glad  that  the  royal  Saxon 
police  make  it  impossible  for  me  to  attend  the  repre- 
sentations of  my  operas,  which  would  only  cause  me 
vexation  ! — 

What  are  we  to  do  with  Anton  Apt  in  Prague  ?  As 
I  am  no  longer  thinking  of  any  performances  of  Rienzi, 
I  fancy  we  might  let  him  have  a  score — but  only  in 
return  for  twenty-five  thalers  (for  every  copy  has  cost 
me  about  this  sum).  If  he  sends  the  money,  give  it  to 
my  old  mother-in-law  (Mad.  Planer,  Herzogin-Garten, 
No.  7).  If  the  price  is  too  high  for  him,  I  will  lend 
him,  on  my  behalf,  a  copy  for  a  time.  Get  books  of 
words  only  from  X.  :  they  are  quite  the  same. — 
Whenever  shall  I  learn  something  about  the  state  of 
the  business  ?  ! !  !  That  X.  still  continues  to  dilly- 
dally, I  see,  from  the  fact  that  a  pianoforte  score  of  the 
Flying  Dutchman  was  lately  ordered  from  here,  and 
though  four  weeks  have  passed  it  has  not  yet  come. 
Of  promptitude  he  knows  nothing — and  how  impor- 
tant is  this  for  the  market ! 

As  soon  as  the  ten  louis  d'or  prove  insufficient,  let 
me  know  ;  I  will  then  either  forward  your  money,  or 
direct  that  the  next  honorarium-payment  be  made  to 
you ! — 

May  the  all-good  God  preserve  you,  you  Lion  ! — 
When  shall  I  get  any  more  news  about  Hi — Ha — 
Heine  ?  The  portrait  has  turned  out  very  well ;  the 
lady-painter  especially  is  very  pleased  with  it. 


376  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

I  find  the  eyebrows  and  the  mouth  too  strongly 
marked. — Yes — my  goodness  ! — if  I  had  such  eyebrows, 
I  should  be  quite  another  fellow,  a  second  L. ! 

Now,  enjoy  your  cray-fish  (krebse  gut).  I  am 
delighted  with  Wilhelm's  letter  ! 

Kindest  greetings  from  both  of  us  ! 

Your 

R.  W. 

ZURICH,  July  is/,  '53. 

Please  get  the  new  ending  done  at  once  for  Carlsruhe. 

(See  yesterday's  letter  !) 

• 

28. 
DEAR  OLD  FELLOW  ! 

You  will  shortly  receive,  through  Michaelson  of 
Berlin,  an  order  from  Cologne  for  Tannhauser,  with 
postal  certificate  for  twelve  louis  d'or.  I  hope  this  will 
not  embarrass  you. — For  the  rest,  you  can  always  send 
him  scores,  if  he  enclose  you  a  postal  receipt  for  at 
least  nine  louis  d'or.  (He  holds  out  a  prospect  of 
Magdeburg  and  Ravel). — I  have  just  written  to  Wurda, 
at  Hamburg,  and  sent  him  a  form  of  order  on  you,  with 
the  stipulation  that  a  postal  receipt  for  fifty  louis  d'or 
be  added. — So  get  into  harness,  and  let  my  friend 
Mehner  set  to  his  copying. 

I  have  just  had  a  wild  week's  revel  with  Liszt.  On 
Wednesday  there  will  be  a  great  torchlight  procession 
with  music  and  song,  for  the  presentation  of  various 
honorary  diplomas. — 

At  Wiesbaden  Lohengrin  went  very  well. 

— Kind  greetings  to  Heine  !  How  are  his  eyes  ?  Is 
he  working  at  Lohengrin  ?  It  would  be  a  good  job  if  it 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  377 

were  finished.     But  he  must  not  injure  himself  on  that 

account. — Good-bye ! 

Your  reformed  rake, 

R.  W. 

ZURICH,  July  nth,  '53. 

29. 

DEAR  OLD  FELLOW  ! 

You  will  receive  from  the  management  of  the 
Hamburg  Theatre  a  bill  for  fifty  louis  d'or,  payable  at 
the  end  of  November  of  this  year,  in  return  for  which 
you  have  to  send  off"  Tannhauser  to  them.  Then  send 
me  the  bill  :  there  is  some  one  from  Hamburg  here  who 
will  buy  it. 

Nothing  about  X.  and  the  business  ? — X.  must  really 
not  sell  any  more  scores;  we  shall  at  last  run  short 
of  them,  for  fabulous  applications  are  again  pouring  in 
on  me: 

What  is  Heine  doing  ? 

I  sit  here  (between  ice  and  bears) — who  loves  me, 
will  take  me  away  ! — Good-bye  ! 

Your 
R.  W. 

ST.  MORITZ  (CAXTON  GRAUB    NDTEN),-/M/>'  2*]th,  '53. 

(Up  to  the  I4th  August  I  am  still  here  ;  address  here 
direct  up  to  that  date.) 

30. 
O  FATHER,  BROTHER,  FRIEND  ! 

How  can  you  believe  that  I  could  ever  use  strong 
language  when  I  think  of  you  ! 

Good  gracious  !  what  bad  manners  you  must  now 
be  learning  in  Dresden. 


378  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Best  thanks  for  your  dear  letter !  You  ever  valiant 
fellow.  Of  your  deeds  as  manager  I  had  already  read  on 
returning  from  the  ice  regions,  where  I  had  been  taking 
a  mineral  water.  Heaven  knows  whether  the  care  will 
be  of  any  use  to  me  !  Only  think  that  I  must  give  up 
snuff;  for  the  last  six  days  I  have  not  taken  a  single 
pinch  !  The  effect  for  the  present  is  as  though  I  should 
go  crazy — somewhat  thus  must  X.  always  feel  when 
you  come  near  him.  Concerning  this  muddle-headed 
fellow,  I  truly  fear  he  will  yet  become  ripe  for  the  lunatic 
asylum.  That  fear  it  was  that  gave  me  the  idea  of 
writing  to  Kr.  to  ask  him  to  take  the  matter  in  hand. 
Be  so  good  then  as  to  deliver  the  enclosed  little  letter  to 
Kr. — You  are  indeed  right  to  keep  back  the  score  of  the 
Flying  Dutchman :  you  may  at  most  lend  it,  but  only  in 
return  for  a  sufficient  guarantee,  to  be  invented  by  you, 
that  it  will  be  given  back  in  a  certain  time — say  four 
weeks.  The  Dutchman  will  also  have  its  turn  (if  you 
let  it  alone  in  Dresden) — they  already  want  it  also  in 
Wiesbaden.  Rienztyou  can  always  part  with  to  private 
individuals  for  twenty-five  thalers — under  an  agreement 
that  it  will  never  be  used  for  theatrical  performances  : 
the  money — to  my  mother-in-law  !  Warn  Apt  in 
Prague  that,  should  he  not  buy  the  score,  he  cannot 
keep  it  over  four  weeks.  So  much  for  that !  Full  stop  ! 

Stay — I  have  still  something  to  say  about  the  Ballen- 
stadt  fellow  !  He  wrote  to  me,  and  I  have  dissuaded  him  ; 
at  least,  he  must  pay  me  ten  louis  d'or :  should  he  still 
persist  in  his  wish,  I  will  in  that  case  give  him  a  con- 
tract-order on  you — in  the  customary  way  (with  the 
condition  of  a  postal  certificate  of  receipt  for  ten  louis 
-d'or).  Only  in  return  for  such  a  postal  receipt,  or  for 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  379 

the  said  sum  itself,  can  he  have  the  score.  In  general 
—I  will  never  refer  any  one  to  you  without  such  a  written 
order. — For  Olmiitz  also  you  may  expect  a  similar  form. 
Moreover,  Darmstadt,  Hanover,  Brunswick,  and  Stutt- 
gart will  shortly  fall  into  your  hands.— 

Good  heavens!  there  I  am  again  with  a  shameful  digres- 
sion— out  of  cursed  covetousness — for  I  intended  only 
speaking  to  you  about  your  management.  I  have  read 
grand  things  about  it  in  connection  with  Hans  Heiling, 
etc.  I  hope  you  will  soon  also  produce  Adolph  von 
Nassau.  (This  little  volume  interests  me  very  much 
on  account  of  Wiesbaden.) 

How  does  it  strike  that  soul  of  a  man,  L.,  when  you 
keep  bringing  out  fresh  operas  ?  Does  he  not  often  think 
of  me,  and  how  you  stuck  by  me,  and  how  R.  drew  in 
his  claws  and  was  so  energetic  that  he  did  not  know 
which  way  to  turn  ? 

Some  one  has  lately  told  me  that  you  are  in  excellent 
trim  : — according  to  that  account,  you  really  seem  to  be 
leading  a  very  sensible  life,  in  spite  of  your  secret  whist 
parties  at  A.  R.'s  with  G.  (O  you  secret  sinner !) — 

I  thank  Wilhelm  very  much  for  his  fine  description 
of  the  Cassel  Tannhduscr;  I  will  send  him  a  special 
answer  shortly.  The  Prophetess  is  Heaven  knows 
where ;  but  I  think  I  am  on  the  track  :  the  moment  I 
get  hold  of  her,  Wilhelm  shall  lay  hands  on  her.  Kind 
greetings  to  him. 

Minna  is  by  no  means  well :  she  is  taking  remedies, 
and  is  going  again  to  the  baths  :  her  blood  and  nerves 
are  in  a  state  of  commotion.  Fortunately  she  can  now 
have  her  little  comforts — for  that  I  have  indeed  to  thank 
Tannhauser. 


380  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

I  am  soon  going  off  on  a  journey  to  the  Mediterranean. 
A  thousand  greetings  to  Heine  ;  he  ought  not  to  worry 
himself  and  his  eyes  so  much.  The  principal  thing  I 
want  is  a  good,  easily  comprehensible  sketch  of  the 
decorations  and  their  manner  of  setting  up.  Good-bye 
for  to-day ! 

Your  most  grateful 

RICH.  W. 

ZURICH,  August  17 th,  '53. 
Go  on  writing  to  Zurich  :  all  letters  will  reach  me. 

31. 
DEAR  FISCHER, 

I  write  only  a  few  lines  to  set  you  at  ease, 
although  you  will  already  have  received  a  letter  an- 
nouncing to  you  the  receipt  of  the  Hamburg  bill  of 
exchange.  (By  the  way,  it  was  quite  unnecessary  for 
you  to  specify  this  bill  on  the  envelope  :  a  bill  is  never 
specified  ;  -at  most,  the  letter  is  registered  :  mark  that, 
you  man  grown  grey  in  business,  and  receive  a  lesson 
from  your  reformed  scamp  !  !) 

Yesterday  I  received  five  thalers  from  the  Ballenstadt 
director,  so  you  will  have  this  order  to  add  to  your  load . 

But  all  this  does  not  make  me  soft-hearted  enough 
to  give  money  to  X.,  forsooth,  for  the  new  pianoforte 
scores :  what  I  now  receive  is  once,  and  not  again — I 
shall  never  again  obtain  a  regular  income — and,  with 
exception  of  present  receipts,  I  may  whistle  to  the 
wind.  From  the  publishing  business,  however  well  it 
may  be  managed,  I  shall  never  draw  anything  :  I  assign 
it  wholly  and  solely  to  my  creditors,  so  it  is  for  them  to 
take  interest  in  the  business  on  their  own  account — just 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  381 

as  with  the  effects  of  a  deceased  debtor.  If  they  want 
the  business  to  yield  income,  they  must  spend  the 
necessary  working  capital  on  it.  If  they  won't  do  this 
— well,  they  have  nothing  to  expect  from  me,  when  I 
see  that  they  allow  the  business — my  only  real  pro- 
perty, which  I  hand  over  to  them— to  go  to  ruin.  I 
have  already  expressed  myself  so  definitely  on  this 
matter,  that  I  have  nothing  more  to  say.  Perhaps  it 
will  be  somewhat  better  managed  :  God  grant  it ! — 

Go  on  writing  to  me  to  Zurich  ;  all  my  letters  will 
be  speedily  forwarded. — I  am  off  to-morrow  evening  :  I 
hope  that  the  fulfilment  of  my  long-cherished  wish  (to 
see  something  of  Italy)  may  turn  out  well :  I  now  am 
terribly  in  need  of  working  power. — 

Farewell,  best  friend  !  Greetings  to  Wilhelm  and 
the  rest  of  your  family. 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  August  2yd,  '53. 

32. 

DEAR  FRIEND, 

I  now  hear  nothing  more  of  you,  so  that  I  am 
really  becoming  anxious  !  Some  time  ago  I  wrote  to 
Heine,  and  sent  you  greetings.  He  does  not  answer, 
and,  with  regard  to  him,  I  must  unfortunately  be 
anxious  about  his  health.  But  with  regard  to  yourself, 
I  must  fear  that  you  are  vexed  with  me  ?  If  neither 
supposition  is  correct,  do  please  write  to  me  ;  or,  rather, 
in  any  case  write  to  me ! 

You  have  now  much  to  do  :  I  know  you  therefore 
cannot  do  any  useless  scribbling;  but  I  should  much 


382  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

like  to  have  a  sign  of  life  from  you  both,  my  good,  my 
only  remaining  Dresden  friends.  For  I  cannot  surely 
forget  everything :  when  I  recall  the  joys  and  sorrows 
of  the  Dresden  Court  Theatre  and  band,  naturally  my 
heart  can  but  grow  warm  as  I  think  of  you. 

Heine  will  have  told  you  something  about  me.  I 
have  again  become  quite  the  musician,  and  more  than 
ever.  I  am  now  writing  the  score  of  the  Rhcingold 
(first  commenced  in  November).  In  the  summer  I  go 
to  the  Walkurc,  in  the  spring  of  1855  comes  the  Yunge 
Siegfried,  and  in  the  following  winter  I  think  to  take  in 
hand  Siegfried's  Tod,  so  that  everything  will  be  ready 
by  Easter  of  1856.  Then  comes  the  impossible:  to 
erect  my  own  theatre,  in  which  I  may  bring  out  my 
work  before  all  Europe  as  a  great  dramatic-musical 
festival.  Then — God  grant  that  I  may  breathe  my 
last  sigh  ! — 

You  see  I  am  full  of  plans.  In  any  case,  I  think  no 
more  about  "  our  "  theatres.  These  may  drag  down  my 
old  operas  completely  into  the  mire  of  commonplace : — 
I  have  abandoned  them,  and  let  myself  be  satisfied 
with  everything,  because  I  expected  nothing  good  :  you 
know  my  disgust !  My  only  interest  is  in  the  money 
which  I  win  from  the  German  theatres  by  this  my 

prostitution  :  for  the  rest — I  have closed  the  books, 

and  am  only  astonished  when  from  time  to  time  I  hear 
anything  good  about  the  performances. 

Have  you  seen  to  the  Flying  Dutchman  for  Wies- 
baden ? 

What  is  all  this  about  Pesth  ?  I  read  in  all  the 
papers  that  they  intend  giving  Tannhaiiscr  in  the  spring, 
with  Tichatschek :  that  is  all  very  nice,  and  for 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  385 

Tichatschek's  sake  I  am  glad  ;  but  I  should  very  much 
like  to  know  how  they  are  going  to  come  by  the  score. 
Do  ask  Tichatschek,  who  is,  I  hope,  no  longer  angry 
with  me :  my  kind  greetings  to  him  ! 

I  have  heard  nothing  at  all  from  Dresden  for  such  an 
age,  that  I  do  not  know  how  your  Wilhelm  is  getting 
on.  Is  he  satisfied  ?  Has  he  any  prospects  of  suc- 
ceeding in  Dresden,  of  doing  honour  to  himself  and 
art  ?  I  should  much  like  now  to  see  you  both.  I  can 
picture  to  myself  your  smiling  glance  from  the  con- 
ductor's desk  at  rehearsals.  Hearty  greetings  to  him  : 
I  do  not  know  what  I  should  write  to  him  in  particular. 
He  has  not  sent  me  his  opera-book  :  why  not  ?  I  should 
be  pleased  if  I  could  be  of  any  service  to  him. 

Now,  perhaps  you  will  once  again  let  me  hear  some- 
thing of  you  :  do  not  put  it  off  too  long  !  I  often  seem 
completely  abandoned — in  spite  of  all  fame. 

Farewell !  greetings  from  me  and  Minna  to  Heine 
and  your  folk,  and  be  good  to  your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

ZURICH,  February  I$th,  '54. 

Do  not  let  X.  sell  any  more  Tannhduscr  scores  :  we 
want  them  all ! — 

33- 
DEAR  OLD  FELLOW, 

Do  not  be  angry  with  me,  if  I  do  not  write  to 
you  to-day,  but  only  announce  an  order  to  you. 

Let  the  Coburg  Court  Theatre  direction  have  the 
Tcmnhciuscr,  etc.,  as  soon  as  possible. 

In  a  few  days  I  finish  Das  Rheingold,  my  first  score 
since  ever  so  long.  My  zest  for  work  at  last  became 


384  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

so  great  that  I  put  off  all  letter-writing  until  I  had 
completed  it. — So  expect  shortly — and  Heine  also — a 
proper  letter  (also  a  money-order).  For  the  present 
you  must  pay  out !  Forgive  me  ! — You  understand  ! 

.Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  May  2Jth,  '54. 

34- 
DEAR  OLD  FRIEND  ! 

You  are  certainly  right  when  this  time  you 
complain  of  my  procrastination  in  writing,  perhaps 
louder  even  than  I  did  last  winter,  when  I  wondered 
at  your  silence.  You  answered  me  at  last  in  detail, 
and  at  the  same  time  gave  me  so  strong  a  proof  of 
your  vigilant  care,  by  sending  me  a  catalogue  of  my 
Dresden  musical  effects,  that  I  was  almost  painfully 
ashamed.  Then  I  thought  I  ought  in  my  turn  to  write 
you  a  right  substantial  letter,  but  waited  until  I  had 
finished  composing  the  first  part  of  the  Nibelungen, 
with  the  final  result  that  I  was  less  disposed  than  ever 
to  write  long  letters.  I  get  more  and  more  out  of  the 
habit  of  doing  this ;  for  one  thing,  because  I  lead  so 
retired  and  exclusively  industrious  a  life,  and  one  with 
such  an  absolute  dearth  of  outward  events,  that  I 
should  not  really  know  how  to  fill  a  decent  letter.  Yet 
I  must  frankly  confess  another  thing :  after  your  last 
disclosures  I  ought  again  to  have  sent  you  money  for 
disbursements  ;  but  just  now,  in  fact,  since  last  winter, 
I  have  been  so  infamously  hard  up  that  I  could  not 
spare  anything,  and  all  chance  sums  received  were 
so  needed  that  I  could  not  think  of  sending  off  any. 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  385 

So  then  I  waited  till  orders  should  commence  again, 
so  as  to  be  able  daily  to  set  aside  a  little  sum  for  you. 
Yet  up  to  the  present  I  have  waited  in  vain,  and  I 
must  now  conquer  my  shame  and  at  last  write  to  you 
even  without  money.  In  the  course  of  this  and  next 
month  I  think  something  must  come  in,  and  then  you 
shall  be  sufficiently  provided  for  immediately.  So 
do  not  be  angry  with  me  ! 

Best  thanks  for  the  catalogue,  but  it  was  really  not 
necessary  for  you  to  take  all  that  trouble  !  If  it  is 
not  in  your  way,  let  everything  quietly  remain  in  your 
place :  if  I  ever  want  anything,  I'll  ask  you  for  it. 
I  should  much  like  to  have  my  arrangement  of  Pales- 
trina's  Stabat  Mater :  you  might,  at  your  convenience, 
send  it  me  one  day. 

For  the  rest,  I  get  news  of  you  through  Noack,  that 
you  are  going  on  in  first-rate  style,  and  that  in  your 
theatre  management  you  are  swimming  along  better 
than  ever.  Now,  that  gives  me  great  pleasure ;  but 
your  pension,  which  you  wished  to  spend  with  us  in 
Switzerland,  seems  a  long  way  off  yet. 

I  heard  from  Heine  that,  on  the  whole,  he  was  in 
good  health  :  only  his  good  wife  was  ailing.  Deai 
me  !  it  is  a  shame  that  I  have  not  written  to  Heine 
either  for  a  long  time  !  But  he  must  not  look  upon 
that  as  any  diminution  of  my  love  :  we  often,  very 
often,  think  about  him  and  his,  and,  I  assure  you, 
always  with  emotion.  Tell  him  this,  and  give  him  a 
thousand  greetings. 

About  myself — I  have  nothing  to  say  to  you.  I  live, 
on  the  whole,  a  life  full  of  sorrows,  however  little  it 
may  seem  so  to  many — for  I  have  become  silent 

25 


386  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

respecting  my  inner  life.  Since  last  winter,  I  have 
returned  to  my  music,  and  work  is  the  only  thing 
which  remains  dear  to  me ;  therefore  I  work  to  excess  ! 
To  me  the  whole  day  only  exists  for  the  purpose  of 
setting  me  in  a  good  mood  for  as  much  work  as 
possible. 

I  have  finished  the  Rheingold,  and  the  Walkiire  is 
already  commenced.  It  too  must  be  completed  this 
year.  My  wife  will  travel  to  Germany  next  week,  to 
see  her  old  parents  once  more  :  she  will  not,  however, 
go  to  Dresden,  but  her  parents  will  meet  her  at 
Zwickau ;  she  will  also  visit  Chemnitz,  and  pass 
through  Leipzig  on  her  way  to  see  a  lady  friend  in 
Berlin.  If  you  could  manage  to  go  and  say  how  do 
you  do  to  her  anywhere,  she  would  be  uncommonly 
pleased ! — 

I,  for  my  part,  would  likewise  wish  to  see  my  friends 
again,  and  especially  you  ;  but  even  that  would  not 
tempt  me  to  Germany,  and  I  am  really  glad  not  to  see 
all  the  bad  performances  of  my  operas  there,  which 
would  probably  break  my  heart. 

So  I  will  endure  and  work  ! 

Farewell,  dear,  good  old  friend.  Ever  thanks  for 
your  faithful  love  ! 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 
ZURICH,  August  Sth,  '54. 

35- 

DEAREST  OLD  FELLOW  ! 

You  will  receive  shortly  through  Walther — the 
theatre-director  here — ten  Napoleons  d'or  for  expenses. 


-      TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  387 

To-day  I  beg  you  to  send  off  as  quickly  as  possible 
a  corrected  copy  of  Tannhauser  to  the  Intendant  of 
the  Court  Theatre  at  Hanover. 

How  are  you  ?     Have  you  spoken  to  Tichatschek  ? 
Farewell. 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  October  2%th,  '54. 

36. 

ZURICH.  December  igth,  '54. 
DEAR  OLD  FELLOW  ! 

I  can  never  once  manage  to  write  properly  to 
you :  I  have  always  so  much  to  answer  that  it  spoils 
all  my  inclination  for  a  sensible  letter.  So  to-day  I 
have  only  to  request  you  to  send  a  Tannhauser  as 
soon  as  possible  to  Mannheim  (to  the  theatrical 
manager).  Lachner,  the  Capellmeister  of  that  place, 
has  been  here  to  settle  with  me  himself  about  it. 
(Now  that  reserve  of  scores  would  come  in  handy !) 
My  wife,  who  went  to  Dresden  quite  behind  my 
back,  was  mightily  delighted  at  seeing  you.  It  quite 
warmed  my  heart.  She  sends  kind  greetings.  Give 
greetings  from  us  to  the  Heine  family  also.  I  will 
certainly  write  one  day  quite  intelligently. 

You  will  soon  receive  my  score  of  the  Rheingold 
from  Liszt :  I  beg  you  to  deliver  it  at  once  to  IVolfel, 
so  that  he  may  finish  the  copy  already  commenced. — 

I   am    diligent — but    not    in    good-humour !      Well, 
there  are  reasons  for  that ! 
Farewell,  dear,  good  Fischer ! 

Your 
R.  W. 


388  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

37- 
DEAR  OLD  FELLOW, 

I   hear  absolutely  nothing  more  of  you  : — are 
you  offended  with  me  ? — 

I  asked  you  recently  to  send  a  Tannhduser  to  Mann- 
heim.— They  also  want  to  give  the  Flying  Dutchman 
in  Mainz;  if  the  director,  M.  Ernst,  sends  in  a  postal 
receipt  for  ten  louis  d'or,  you  can  at  once  let  him  have 
the  score  (corrected).— 

In  conclusion,  I  have  many  requests  to  make  to-day. 
Among  the  music  I  left  behind,  there  are — 

1.  All  the  detached  numbers  from  Rienzi 

2.  „  „  ,,  „      Flying  Dutchman 

3.  „  „  „  „      Tannhauser, 

as  they  came  out  at  X.'s  in  their  time.  I  should  much 
like  to  have  these  sent  by  return.  If  they  cannot  be 
found,  please  persuade  Kr.  to  have  the  things  presented 
to  me — from  X.'s  store  of  publications.  I  am  in  bad 
want  of  them. 

Then — could  not  the  Dresden  Court  Theatre  make 
me  a  present  of  a  good  copy  of  the  score  of  Iphigenia 
in  Aulis  as  I  arranged  it,  so  that  I  might  at  all  events 
have  a  souvenir  of  this  work  ? — 

Please  see  what  can  be  done. — 

If  L.  is  unwilling,  at  least  have  the  overture  copied 
for  me  (at  my  expense),  with  the  ending  which  I  pub- 
lished last  year  in  the  Leipz.  Zeitsch.  f.  Musik. 

Ah  me !  I  only  get  snatches  of  time  for  writing, 
because  I  have  always  such  an  intolerable  lot  of  letters 
to  get  through. 

I  heartily  long  to  see  you  once  again  and  have  a 
chat. 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  389 

At  the  end  of  February  I  go  for  two  months  to 
London,  to  conduct  the  concerts  of  the  Philharmonic 
Society,  for  which  they  expressly  sent  one  of  their 
directors  here  to  persuade  me.  As  a  rule,  that  kind  of 
thing  does  not  suit  me ;  and  as  I  am  not  to  get  much 
pay  for  it,  I  would  scarcely  have  consented,  had  I  not 
therein  seen  a  chance  of  next  year  bringing  together 
in  London — under  the  protection  of  the  Court — a  first- 
rate  German  opera  company,  with  which  I  could  give 
jny  operas,  and  at  last  my  Lohengrin. 

For  the  rest,  I  am  as  stubborn  as  ever,  am  working 
most  diligently,  and  already  scoring  the  Walkiire. 

Has  Liszt  sent  the  Rheingold?  If  so,  let  Wolfel 
copy  quickly,  so  that,  if  possible,  I  may  have  my  score 
back  before  I  leave  for  London. — 

Now,  do  please  write  once  more  ! 

A  million  greetings  from  me  and  Minna.     Farewell ! 

Your 

RICH.  WAG. 

ZURICH,  January  2ist,  '55. 


38. 


MYSTERIOUSLY  SILENT   FRIEND,  AND    BROTHER  IN  THE 
FAITH  ! 

t       t       t 

See  at  once  about  Tannhduser  being  sent  to 
Munich:  I  have  come  to  an  agreement  with  Dingelstedt. 
•Give  them  also  six  copies  of  the  pamphlet. 

X.  ought  at  once  to  assert  his  rights  concerning  the 
:books  of  words. — 


390  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Concerning  sketches  and  scenarium,  I  have  referred 
them  to  you. — 

O  you  wicked  fellow  ! ! 

Salute  Heine ! 

Your 

R.  W. 

39- 

PARIS,  March  2>td,  '55. 

But,  dear  old  friend  !  how  heavy-hearted  you 
make  me,  with  your  extraordinary  sensitiveness  !  In 
Zurich  I  could  not  manage  to  write  to  you ;  but  on  my 
very  first  leisure  day  in  Paris  I  have  sat  down  to  give 
you  somewhat  of  a  scolding,  as  this  time  you  deserve ; 
although,  considering  your  hasty  youth,  you  might  be 
excused.  Let  me  just  tell  you  how  matters  stand  with 
the  score  of  the  Rheingold.  I  had  already  promised  our 
young  friend  several  years  back  that  he  should  make 
the  pianoforte  score  of  my  Nibelungen.  As  this  time  I 
was  adopting  a  new  method  with  the  instrumentation, 
whereby  I  did  not  first  make  a  completely  developed 
preliminary  sketch,  I  felt  the  want  of  an  arrangement 
from  which  I  could  play  to  any  one.  I  therefore  asked 
my  friend  to  go  on  with  the  pianoforte  version,  while  I 
was  still  writing  the  score,  and  so  I  sent  him  the  de- 
tached sections  as  soon  as  they  were  finished. — At  the 
same  time,  he  was  to  get  Wolfel  to  make  a  copy,  and  so 
arrange  with  him  that  both  could  work  at  the  same  time. 
As  soon  as  the  copy  and  the  pianoforte  arrangement 
should  be  simultaneously  finished  in  this  way,  I  intended 
to  gradually  distribute  both  copy  and  score  among  my 
friends  for  perusal,  and  I  can  assure  you  that  you  would, 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  391 

not  have  been  the  last.  Liszt  learnt — as  did  you — that 
his  pupil  had  the  score,  and  showed  so  much  jealousy 
that,  as  the  latter  would  be  stopped  in  his  work  for 
some  time  by  the  mere  fact  of  his  going  away,  I  com- 
missioned him,  when  I  sent  him  the  remainder  of  the 
score,  to  send  it  at  once  to  Liszt,  and  thus  interrupt 
Wolfel's  copying.  At  the  end  of  four  weeks  Liszt  was 
to  send  back  the  score  to  Dresden,  that  you  might  first 
get  Wolfel  to  finish  the  copy,  and  then  the  young  man 
was  to  receive  this  copy  so  as  to  finish  the  pianoforte 
arrangement.  See,  dear  old  fellow,  that  is  how  the 
matter  stands ;  and  you  ought  to  see  that  there  is  no 
question  here  of  undervaluing  your  friendship.  But 
now,  unfortunately,  as  I  learn,  Liszt  has  kept  the  score 
an  immoderately  long  time  ;  for  he  wrote  me  only  lately 
that  he  would  now  send  it  off  to  you.  I  hope  that  has 
now  been  done,  and  I  particularly  request  you  to  notify 
me  immediately  on  the  receipt  of  the  same ;  for  I  am 
really  most  anxious  about  this  solitary  copy  ! ! — So 
that  I  may  soon  be  set  at  ease,  be  also  good  enough  to 
hurry  on  Wolfel  with  the  completion  of  the  copy  ;  as 
soon  as  this  is  finished,  I  will  further  ask  you  to  send 
the  copy  to  Berlin,  but  the  original  score,  after  you  have 
satiated  yourself  with  the  sight  of  my  beautiful  hand- 
writing, to  me. 

Well ! — are  you  still  angry  ?  ? — 

As  you  seem  anxious  to  be  rid  of  the  music  and  the 
wilderness  of  waste-paper,  with  which  I  have  loaded  you 
up  to  the  neck,  I  have  made  a  selection  as  follows  : — 
Send  the  following,  at  your  convenience,  by  carrier  : 
i.  Bach's  eight-part  Motets.  2.  Beethoven's  Ninth 
Symphony.  3.  Mozart's  Third  Symphony.  4.  Bach's 


392  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

two  Passions.  5.  Marx's  Moses.  6.  Music  for  a  New 
Year's  Prologue  :  score  3/4  C-minor  (without  orchestral 
parts).  7.  Three  of  my  Overtures  (score).  8.  Libretto 
of  the  opera  Die  Feen.  9.  Of  the  opera  Dels  Liebesver- 
bot.  10.  Aria  from  Norma  (Orovisf).  II.  Aria  from 
Maty,  Max  and  Michel  (bass).  12.  Lcs  Adieux  de 
Marie  Stuart.  13.  Les  Deux  Grenadiers.  14.  Seven 
compositions  for  Goethe's  Faust.  15.  Fantasia  for 
pianoforte. 

I  beg  you  further  to  take  into  your  care  and  keeping 
the  scores  of  Rienzt,  Flying  Dutchman,  and  Tannhattser, 
with  the  books  belonging  to  them,  etc. — All  the  rest 
you  can  destroy,  burn,  and  use  up  as  you  like;  thus 
you  will  get  a  little  more  breathing-space. 

For  your  last  parcel  my  best  thanks :  I  beg  you  to 
send  to  London  what  has  still  to  be  forwarded  to  me. 
Has  then  nothing  further  appeared  of  the  Tannhauscr 
pianoforte  score  without  words  ?  I  should  much  like  to 
have  what  is  ready  of  it. — Altogether,  my  heart  bleeds 
when  I  think  of  this  publication  business :  what  could 
not  be  got  from  it,  if  it  were  conducted  with  zeal  and 
prudence  !  Unfortunately,  I  hear  nothing  at  all  about  it, 
not  even  from  my  creditors,  who  ought  to  be  interested 
in  the  matter. 

I  shall  probably  never  come  back  to  Germany.  You 
are  all  so  silent  about  this,  that  I  must  well  believe  there 
is  no  prospect  of  it.  Well,  whatever  our  noble  ministers 
may  determine,  I  shall  accustom  myself  thereto  !  But 
if  you  want  to  see  me  once  more  before  our  end  comes, 
you  must  undertake  a  journey  to  Switzerland.  I  shall 
be  back  again  by  the  beginning  of  July.  In  London  I 
shall  score  the  Walkiire ;  from  there,  too,  good  Heine 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  393 

shall  at  last  receive  another  letter  from  me.  Heartiest 
greetings  to  him.  Greetings  also  to  your  people  ;  and 
amid  all  circumstances  and  doubts,  keep  in  kind  remem- 
brance 

Your 
R.  W. 

My  future  address  will  be  :   Ferdinand  Prager,  31, 
Milton  Street,  Dorset  Square. 


.       40. 

Best  thanks,  dearest  old  friendjf  for  your  letter  ! 
I  answer  it  at  once,  because  you  therein  send  me  a  piece 
of  news  which  certainly  forces  me  to  haste  ! 

Now,  I  beg  you  most  earnestly  to  render  me  a  ser- 
vice of  friendship,  and  rouse  yourself  at  once.  Point 
out  in  my  name  the  danger  in  which  that  business 
hovers,  and  say  that  I  have  received  a  confidential  hint 
as  to  X.'s  position,  which  has  determined  me  to  make 
an  immediate  and  fitting  end  of  that  wretched  affair. 
Those  to  whom  I  made  over  the  ownership  of  that 
cop}7right,  until  my  debts  to  them  were  fully  covered, 
must  declare  through  or  by  their  lawyer  whether  they 
wish  to  protect  that  right  completely  and  against  all 
circumstances  that  are  threatening  it.  Already  have  I 
seen  with  despair  how  badly  the  business  was  conducted 
under  the  present  so  favourable  circumstances.  As  yet 
the  pianoforte  score  without  words  of  Tannhduser  has 
not  appeared,  which  is  an  irreparable  loss.  Here  in 
London  I  am  informed  that  the  pianoforte  score  of  the 
Flying  Dutchman  had  recently  been  asked  for  but  not 


394  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

received,  because  the  old  edition  was  out  of  print:  so 
there  was  no  thought  of  bringing  out  a  new  one  in 
good  time !  If  things  go  on  like  this,  and  if  I  remain 
without  a  satisfactory  answer,  I  shall  have  to  consider 
my  own  property  threatened  ;  and  if  my  creditors  do 
not  at  once  assure  me  through  their  lawyer,  that  on 
their  side  everything  possible  shall  be  done  to  secure 
the  greatest  advantage  from  the  rights  made  over  to 
them,  so  that  all  the  good  may  be  got  out  of  the 
business  which  it  now  can  offer,  I  shall  find  myself 
compelled  to  employ  another  lawyer,  who  for  his  part 
will  protect  my  right,  and — though  in  the  first  place  in 
the  interest  of  my  creditors — will  take  over  the  manage- 
ment of  the  business,  so  as  to  conduct  it  in  the  manner 
which  I  may  consider  the  most  profitable. — I  beg  you, 
dear  old  fellow,  do  me  the  kindness,  and  press  for  an 
immediate  answer  ! — 

That  property  is  indeed  the  only  thing  that  can 
afford  me  any  profit.  I  have  cast  away  those  operas  : 
from  them  I  ask  for  nothing  further  than — that  they 
should  bring  in  money. 

It  is  otherwise  with  the  works  which  I  have  now  in 
hand  :  for  their  creation  I  only  took  heart  when  I  re- 
solved to  look  away  entirely  from  our  theatres  for  their 
performance,  and  to  devote  all  my  life's  strength  to 
producing  them  one  day,  under  exceptional  circum- 
stances, as  a  dramatic-music  festival.  If  it  is  granted 
to  me  in  the  future  to  acquire  the  means  necessary  for 
this,  well  and  good.  If  not,  I  shall  content  myself  with 
this :  that  I  made  the  effort.  But  only  such  a  prospect 
gives  me  heart  to  trouble  about  my  art :  for  our  usual 
theatre-repertoire  with  all  its  wants  (to  which  Flotow 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  395 

and  Meyerbeer,  etc.,  can  best  minister)  I  work  no 
more. — This  is  my  fixed  opinion,  my  firm-set  will  ! 
This  will  perhaps  explain  to  you  the  form  and  fashion 
of  my  present  composition  :  it  does  not  occur  to  me 
while  working  at  it  to  think  of  any  existing  theatre, 
with  which  from  henceforth  I  have  nothing  more  to  do ;. 
for  works  like  my  new  one  shall  not  be  given  between 
Martha  and  the  Prophet.  For  the  rest,  I  am  surprised 
that  you  should  consider  the  mere  constitution  of  the 
orchestra  the  principal  difficulty  !  Nowadays  one  can 
have  for  money  as  many  instrumentalists  as  one  wants,, 
and  Meyerbeer  for  the  performance  of  his  Huguenots  in 
Paris  has  seven  harps :  so  make  your  mind  easy  on 
that  point.  But — singers  who  are  not  ....  like  your 
theatre-rabble  ;  but  true,  intelligent,  and  energetic  inter- 
preters !  That  is  a  much  greater  difficulty,  and  it  will 
probably  cost  me  years  of  preparation  before  I  can  train 
them  up  for  myself  from  talented  young  people.  How 
I  shall  do  all  this  must  for  the  present  remain  my 
secret :  but  though  you  do  not  yourself  assist  in  a  pro- 
duction of  it  at  Dresden,  I  hope,  at  least,  that  you  will 
hear  it  given  under  my  direction — to  which  performance 
you  are  herewith  most  cordially  invited. — Now,  con- 
cerning the  score  of  the  Rheingold,  I  beg  you  to  send  it 
at  once  by  goods-post  to  my  address  here,  together  with 
the  copy — so  far  as  Wolfel  has  got  with  it.  I  am  too 
much  in  need  of  it  to  be  able  to  wait  any  longer :  I  will 
have  the  copy  finished  in  Zurich  instead,  where  1  have 
now  hunted  up  a  good  copyist.  I  will  settle  Wolfel's 
account  with  you  at  once. — So,  all  that  is  arranged. 

It    was    a    great    piece    of  folly  for  me  to  come  to 
London,  for  which  I  now  atone  by  enduring  until  the 


396  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

last  concert.  Not,  indeed,  that  I  have  to  complain  of 
the  public  or  anything  of  that  sort :  that  is  all  just  as 
it  is  everywhere  else,  neither  better  nor  worse  ;  and, 
besides,  the  public  of  the  Philharmonic  Concerts  is  very 
favourably  disposed  towards  me  : — but, — it  is  not  in 
my  line  to  conduct  concerts.  A  Beethoven  Symphony 
certainly  gives  me  great  pleasure  :  but  a  whole  concert 
of  this  kind,  with  everything  which  it  includes,  deeply 
disgusts  me ;  and  with  great  inner  vexation,  I  see 
myself  compelled  to  conduct  stuff  which  I  thought  I 
should  never  have  to  perform  again.  Moreover,  I  see 
that  here  in  England  I  have  no  chance  of  anything, 
under  never  so  favourable  circumstances.  Even  a 
German  Opera,  with  my  works,  would  give  me  no 
pleasure ;  for  no  performance  could  ever  be  so  good  as 
I  should  wish,  for  the  reason  that  very  few  rehearsals 
can  be  held,  because  everything  is  so  frightfully  dear. 
So  I  only  endure  here,  without  joy  or  hope.  I  have 
paid  a  visit  to  the  Ney,  and  also  heard  her  in  Fidelia,  in 
which,  however,  she  did  not  satisfy  me.  To-day  she 
sings  in  Verdi's  Trovatore,  in  which  she  is  certainly 
more  at  home :  I  heard  from  the  orchestra  that  she  had 
already  had  an  extraordinary  success  at  the  rehearsal. 
She  is  not  allowed  to  sing  at  concerts,  so  long  as  she  is 
engaged  at  the  Opera. 

So  I  am  spending  my  time  in  somewhat  melancholy 
fashion,  amid  people  who  are  foreign  and  unsympathetic 
to  me ;  and  I  rejoice  at  the  thought  of  returning  at  the 
end  of  July  to  my  dear,  glorious  Switzerland,  which  I 
hope  I  shall  never  leave  again.  Before  I  depart  I  will 
write  a  thoroughly  sensible  letter  to  Heine  :  tell  him  that, 
and  give  him  a  thousand  greetings  from  us.  Also 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  397 

hearty   greetings    to   yours  :  thanks    for   your  faithful 
friendship,  and  be  assured  of  my  constant  love. 
Farewell. 

Your 
R.  W. 

22,  PORTLAND  TERRACE,  REGENT'S  PARK,  LONDON. 
41. 

DEAREST  OLD  FELLOW  ! 

As  always,  so  to-day  another  request !  When 
you  are  buzzing  ahead,  do  go  to  the  cloth-merchant 
Henniger,  in  the  Old  Market,  and  tell  him  from  me  that 
this  autumn  he  shall  receive  his  money  in  one  lump; 
but  that  for  the  present  all  my  earnings  are  accounted 
for.  Also  it  would  be  very  nice  of  him  not  to  charge  me 
any  interest :  this  eternal  paying  of  debts  is  the  reason 
that  I  can  never  hop  upon  a  green  twig. — Please  be  so 
kind !  ! 

Has  Liszt  yet  sent  the  Rheingold?  Do  let  me 
know;  I  so  want  to  have  the  original  score  back  soon, 
and  indeed  in  London.  You  shall  hear  another  time 
how  I  am :  I  have  really  nothing  to  do  but  conduct  the 
concerts  of  Philharmonic  Society  :  for  the  rest,  London 
does  not  exist  for  me.  The  orchestra  has  taken  a  great 
liking  to  me,  and  the  public  approves  of  me.  To-day 
is  the  second  concert  :  selections  from  Lohengrin,  and 
the  Ninth  Symphony.  Chorus  wretched  !  If  only  I  had 
my  Dresden  Palm-Sunday  Choir ! — Good-bye  for  to-day ! 
Heartiest  greetings  to  Heine  and  your  family  from 
Your  now  soon  forty-two-year-old 

R.  W. 

22,  PORTLAND  TERRACE,  REGENT'S  PARK,  LONDON. 


398  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS. 


42. 
DEAREST  OLD  FELLOW, 

I  write  again  at  once  : 

Firstly  :  to  congratulate  Ernestine. 

Secondly  :  to  ask  you  to  see  to  the  copy  of  the 
Rheingold  being  immediately  completed,  so  that  I  may 
at  last  get  back  the  original  score.  But  you  must 
make  Wolfel  write  post-haste,  so  that,  if  possible,  I  may 
have  my  score  here  by  the  end  of  May :  I  will  write 
to  you  then  about  the  copy. 

Best  thanks  for  Henniger-Modes.  People  think  now 
that  I  am  coining  money  :  ah  !  if  they  only  knew  ! — 

I  endure  here,  like  a  passover  lamb ;  but  it  does  not 
suit  me,  and  I  hope  this  will  be  the  last  time  I  shall 
come  to  London.  I  have  nothing  to  seek  here,  and 
the  Jews  may  conduct  their  silly  concerts  for  them. 
Besides,  much  scandal  is  made  of  and  about  me. — 
I  shall  see  the  Ney.  Otherwise — everything  as 
before ! — 

Greetings  to  Heine  and  your  folk.  Keep  stout  and 
hearty  as  ever,  you  Herr-Gotts-Tausend-Sakramenter ! 

I  shall  not  last  so  well  nor  so  long ! 

Adieu  ! 

Your  crazy 

R.  W. 

A3- 

DEAREST  OLD  FELLOW  ! 

Cordial    thanks  for  sending  my  score.      I   am 
uneasy  at  your  not  enclosing  a  line,  because  it  makes 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  399 

me  think  you  are  angry  with  me.     Do  assure  me  soon 
to  the  contrary. 

The  copy  is,  after  all,  so  beautiful  that  I  feel  inclined 
to  let  Wolfel  complete  it,  and  so  will  send  you  back 
the  score  from  Zurich.  For  the  present,  I  really  want 
it  here. 

My  best  thanks  to  you  for  fulfilling  my  large  request. 
I  see  there  is  reason  to  be  very  cautious  about  X.  I 
therefore  enclose  a  letter  to  that  gentleman,  and  beg 
you,  before  you  close  it  and  send  it  to  X.,  to  give  it 
to  your  friend  to  read,  for  it  seems  important  to  me 
that  my  creditors  should  be  exactly  informed  about 
my  relations  to  X.,  so  that  they  may  take  measures 
accordingly.  Cordial  greetings  to  P.  also  from  us,,  and 
thank  him  for  his  forbearance,  as  well  as  for  his 
faithful  friendship.— 

I  am  now  somewhat  more  cheerful,  as  my  London 
visit  is  drawing  to  a  close.  At  the  next  concert  we 
are  to  have  the  Queen  of  England  :  it  will  be  certainly 
interesting  if  I,  as  a  high  traitor  with  a  public  warrant 
out  against  me,  conduct  before  Her  Majesty  and  the 
Court.  One  might  take  a  lesson  from  that.  On  the 
3Oth  of  June  1  shall  be  back  again  in  my  dear  Zurich. 

Whenever  will  you  come  there,  you  old  theatre- 
mate  ? 

A  thousand  greetings  to  the  Heinerei ! 

Farewell !  and  remain  good  to  your  much-afflicted 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

The  Ney  sang  in  one  of  our  concerts,  and  certainly 
her  voice  and  style  of  singing  both  surprised  and 
delighted  me. 


400  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 


44. 
BEST  FRIEND, 

Cordial  thanks  for  your  kind  letter,  out  of 
which  for  to-day  I  have  only  to  answer  the  question 
about  the  result  of  the  concert  given  in  presence  of  the 
Queen. 

The  false  reports  about  my  quarrel  with  the  directors 
of  the  Philharmonic  Society  here  and  my  consequent 
departure  from  London  are  based  upon  the  following 
incident. 

When  I  went  into  the  cloak-room  after  the  fourth 
concert,  I  there  met  several  friends,  whom  I  made 
acquainted  with  my  extreme  annoyance  and  ill-humour 
that  I  should  ever  have  consented  to  conduct  concerts 
of  such  a  kind,  as  it  was  not  at  all  in  my  line.  These 
endless  programmes,  with  their  mass  of  instrumental 
and  vocal  pieces,  wearied  me  and  tormented  my  aesthetic 
sense  :  I  was  forced  to  see  that  the  power  of  esta- 
blished custom  rendered  it  impossible  to  bring  about 
any  reduction  or  change  whatever;  I  therefore  nourished 
a  feeling  of  disquietude,  which  had  more  to  do  with  the 
fact  that  I  had  again  embarked  on  a  thing  of  the  sort, 
—  much  less  with  the  conditions  here  themselves,  which 
1  really  knew  beforehand, — but  least  of  all  with  my 
public,  which  always  received  me  with  friendliness  and 
approbation,  often  indeed  with  great  warmth. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  abuse  of  the  London  critics 
was  a  matter  of  perfect  indifference  to  me,  for  their 
hostility  only  proved  to  all  the  world  that  I  had  not 
bribed  them ;  while  it  gave  me,  on  the  contrary,  much 
satisfaction  to  watch  how  they  always  left  the  door 


TO   WILHELM    FISCHER.  401 

open,  so  that  had  I  made  the  least  approach  they  would 
have  tuned  to  a  different  pitch  ;  but  naturally  I  thought 
of  nothing  of  the  kind. — 

But  on  that  evening  I  was  really  in  a  furious  rage, 
that  after  the  A-major  Symphony  I  should  have  had  to 
conduct  a  miserable  vocal  piece  and  a  trivial  Overture 
of  Onslow's ;  and,  as  is  my  way,  in  deepest  dudgeon  I 
told  my  friends  aloud  that  I  had  that  day  conducted 
for  the  last  time ;  that  on  the  morrow  I  should  send 
in  my  resignation,  and  journey  home.  By  chance 
a  concert-singer,  R. — a  German  Jew-youth — was 
present :  he  caught  up  my  words  and  conveyed  them 
all  hot  to  a  newspaper  reporter.  Ever  since  then 
rumours  have  been  flying  about  in  the  German 
papers,  which  have  misled  even  you.  I  need  scarcely 
tell  you  that  the  representations  of  my  friends,  who 
escorted  me  home,  succeeded  in  making  me  withdraw 
the  hasty  resolution  conceived  at  a  moment  of  despon- 
dency. 

Since  then  we  have  had  the  Tannhduser  Overture  at 
the  fifth  concert ;  it  was  very  well  played,  received  by 
the  public  in  a  quite  friendly  manner,  but  not  yet 
properly  understood. 

All  the  more  pleased  was  I,  therefore,  when  the 
Queen,  who  had  promised  (which  is  a  rare  event,  and 
does  not  happen  every  year)  to  attend  the  seventh 
concert,  ordered  a  repetition  of  the  Overture.  Now,  if 
in  itself  it  was  extremely  gratifying  that  the  Queen 
should  pay  no  regard  to  my  highly  compromised 
political  position  (which  had  been  dragged  to  light  with 
great  malignity  by  the  Times),  and  without  hesitation 
assist  at  a  public  performance  under  my  direction, 

26 


402  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

then  her  further  behaviour  towards  me  afforded  me 
at  last  an  affecting  compensation  for  all  the  con- 
trarieties and  vulgar  animosities  which  I  had  here 
endured. 

She  and  Prince  Albert,  who  both  sat  immediately 
facing  the  orchestra,  applauded  after  the  Tannhdiiser 
Overture — with  which  the  first  part  concluded — 
with  graciousness  almost  amounting  to  a  challenge, 
so  that  the  public  broke  out  into  lively  and  prolonged 
applause.  During  the  interval  the  Queen  summoned 
me  to  the  salon,  and  received  me  before  her  Court 
with  the  cordial  words :  "  I  am  delighted  to  make 
your  acquaintance  :  your  composition  has  enraptured 
me!" 

In  a  long  conversation,  in  which  Prince  Albert  also 
took  part,  she  further  inquired  about  my  other  works, 
and  asked  if  it  would  not  be  possible  to  have  my  operas 
translated  into  Italian,  so  that  she  might  be  able  to 
hear  them,  too,  in  London  ?  I  was  naturally  obliged  to 
give  a  negative  answer,  and  moreover  to  explain  that 
my  visit  was  only  a  flying  one,  as  conducting  for  a 
concert  society — the  only  thing  open  to  me  here — was 
not  at  all  my  affair. — At  the  end  of  the  concert  the 
Queen  and  the  Prince  applauded  me  again  most 
courteously. — 

I  relate  this  to  you  because  it  will  afford  you 
pleasure  ;  and  I  willingly  allow  you  to  make  further 
use  of  this  information,  as  I  see  how  much  mistake 
and  malice  touching  myself  and  my  stay  in  London 
has  to  be  set  right  or  defeated.  The  last  concert  is  on 
the  25th,  and  I  leave  on  the  26th,  so  as  to  resume  in 
my  quiet  retreat  my  sadly  interrupted  work. 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  403 

Farewell !  Cordial  thanks  for  your  friendship,  and 
greetings  to  those  who  share  it,  from 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

LONDON.  June  i^th,  '55. 

I  will  deliver  your  greetings  to  the  Ney. 

45- 
DEAR,  GOOD  FISCHER! 

How  are  you?  I  am  just  back  from  a  mountain 
health-resort,  where  my  wife  (in  wretched  weather)  has 
been  taking  whey.  I  am  only  now  really  home  again, 
and  thinking  about  work  and  business.  First  of  all,  I 
am  anxious  that  the  interrupted  copy  of  my  Rheingold 
should  be  finished,  and  to-day  I  send  you  the  remainder 
— with  the  few  prepared  sheets — troubling  you  with  the 
request  to  hand  over  the  matter  to  Wolfel  as  quickly  as 
possible.  I  have  only  one  remark  to  make  :  Liszt  will 
pay  me  a  visit  in  October,  and  he  might  like  to  play 
through  the  score  with  me  ;  so  Wolfel  must  have  finished 
by  the  end  of  September,  that  I  may  have  my  score  back 
by  the  beginning  of  October.  Otherwise  I  should  have 
to  interrupt  him  once  again  !  Very  well ! — 

Besides  this  I  have  nothing  new  to  tell  you  about 
myself — except  that  the  King  can't  help  granting  me  an 
amnesty  shortly. 

I  must  one  day  write  a  tremendous  letter  to  Heine- 
inann,  and  that's  the  awkward  part  of  it,  and  why  I 
never  do  it.  In  fact,  I  have  not  much  to  say  to  him, 
except  that  I  would  willingly  be  with  him  again  and 
have  a  good  roast  together  ;  we  should  find  a  grand 
store,  I  warrant  you. 


404  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

I  must  put  aside  my  joking  to  tell  you  that  my  Peps 
died  on  the  tenth  day  after  my  return  from  London ;  for 
this  event  has  deeply  affected  myself  and  Minna.  I 
weep  still  when  I  think  of  the  day  the  dear  beast  died. — 

Now  I  will  set  hard  to  work  again ;  but  not  overtask 
myself.  For  this  year  I  shall  be  content  to  finish  com- 
pletely the  Walkure.  Only  in  the  spring  shall  I  set  to 
work  on  the  Junge  Siegfried. — 

What  do  the  gentlemen  in  Dresden  think  when  they 
hear  of  nothing  but  the  Tannticiuser  in  Munich  ?  Do  they 
rub  their  hands  for  joy  at  preventing  me  from  ever 
attending  such  performances  ?  I  presume  so  ! — 

Now  please  excuse  this  confused  scrawl :  it  is  the 
sixth  letter  I  have  written  to-day ! ! !  A  thousand 
greetings  to  your  family  and  the  Heinerei,  and  remain 
good  to  your  celebrated  brother, 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

ZURICH,  August  \"}lh,  '55. 

46. 
BEST  FRIEND, 

Nature  has  a  cure  for  everything !  For  several 
days  I  have  not  felt  well ;  I  feel  heaviness  in  my  limbs ; 
I  am  disgusted  with  work,  and  only  with  difficulty  can 
I  get  through  a  part  of  my  daily  task ;  which  again  puts 
me  out  of  humour,  because  only  my  work  can  cheer  me. 
So  this  morning  early,  I  looked  with  trouble  at  my 
music-sheets  ;  and  yet  I  tried  to  force  myself  to  work  ; 
then  comes  a  bill  of  exchange  from  friend  X.  at  Dresden, 
payable  fourteen  days  after  sight — 395  thalers.  Well, 
this  unforeseen  event  cured  me ;  it  reminded  me  that  I 
live  in  a  world  in  which  men  make  other  demands  on 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  405 

me  than  those  of  art-creations  !  I  placed  my  music- 
paper  on  one  side ;  a  good  loud  sneeze  escaped  my  nose 
— and  I  attended  to  my  "  business "  ;  also  I  have 
written  to  Herr  Henniger,  as  you  will  see  by  the  en- 
closure. 

Pray  say  what  has  suddenly  entered  into  the  head  of 
this  unfortunate  man  X.  ?  I  did  not  know  but  what 
he  was  well-disposed  towards  me.  If  he  found  that 
inconvenient,  he  might  have  said  so  sooner.  Some  one 
must  be  specially  to  blame  for  this  sudden,  quite  unfore- 
warned  behaviour  towards  me.  The  business  must  be 
in  a  bad  state.  Heavens  !  how  my  heart  bleeds  when  I 
look  on  helplessly  at  this  scandal  from  afar ;  nor  can  it 
afford  me  any  consolation  to  have  done  everything  in 
my  power  to  help. — -But,  for  a  reason  like  this,  one 
does  not  pounce  upon  an  old  friend  one  had  else 
treated  with  consideration.  There  must  be  some  sort 
of  gossip  at  the  back  of  it,  and  my  supposition  is  surely 
correct,  that  these  people  think  that  through  my  operas 
(perhaps  also  London  ?  ?  ! !)  I  am  up  to  my  ears  in  gold, 
and  living  in  riot  and  revel  !  Well,  I  have  written  to 
X.,  to  set  his  mind  clear  on  the  matter.  These  sump- 
tuous receipts  are  no  longer  mine  ;  but  I  have  been 
fortunate  enough  to  find  a  friend  to  whom  I  could  make 
over  this  most  uncertain  revenue  in  return  for  a  small 
yearly  allowance,  which  at  least  makes  me  certain  as  to 
what  I  have  and  what  I  can  spend  each  year.  Still,  if 
I  do  not  wish  to  contract  fresh  debts,  I  have  only  enough 
to  enable  me  to  make  both  ends  meet ;  and  the  difficulty 
of  doing  this  is  increased  by  the  fact  that  I  have  still  to 
pay  out  of  it  some  debts  contracted  here,  from  the  time 
of  my  flight  and  settling  down.  It  is  quite  impossible 


4o6  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

to  think  of  accepting  such  a  bill  of  exchange. — If,  on 
the  other  hand,  I  could  only  learn  what  state  my  busi- 
ness is  in  ;  there  must  be  already  some  profit  from  it  ? 
This  is  really  my  only  hope,  for  otherwise  I  do  not  at 
all  know  how  I  shall  satisfy  the  sudden  importunity  of 
the  man. 

Please  be  good  enough  to  have  my  letter  sent  ta 
Henniger ;  I  do  not  know  the  address.— 

I  suppose  I  must  have  patience  with  Wolfel :  it  is 
really  a  tiresome  piece  of  work.  I  do  hope  he  will  be 
ready  in  the  course  of  November — say  by  the  middle  ; 
then  there  will  still  be  time,  and  by  that  date  I  shall 
have  money  to  pay  him. 

(Have  you  anything  more  of  mine  ?) 

I  hear  the  Heines  are  really  thinking  about  America. 
I  also  am  invited  there  now,  but  for  the  present  I  have 
had  to  decline.  Yet  America  floats  before  me  as  a 
possible  money-source,  if  indeed  one's  sole  aim  were 
the  making  of  a  small  fortune.  In  two  years  I  shall 
have  completed  my  Nibelungen,  then  I  shall  look  around 
for  a  whole  year  to  see  whether  it  is  possible  to  bring  to 
pass  a  performance  according  to  my  ideas.  If  I  see 
that  possibility,  then  I'll  move  heaven  and  earth  to 
carry  it  out.  If,  however,  I  am  convinced  to  the  con- 
trary, I  will  have  my  scores  beautifully  bound,  put  them 
away  in  my  chest,  and  go  off  to  America — as  I  said 
above — to  make  a  small  fortune.  Whether  there  or 
here,  I  shall  then  become  a  Philistine,  and  say  to  the 
world  henceforth :  .  .  .  Here,  I  would  then  play  the 
Philistine  in  your  company  :  there,  after  all  with  the 
Heines.  It  would  indeed  be  funny  if  we  all  played 
the  Philistine  there  together  ! — Tell  that  to  the  Heinerei,, 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  407 

and  assure  them  that,  even  if  I  do  not  write,  every- 
thing remains  as  of  old.  I  am  delighted  to  hear  of  the 
fellow's  tough  health. 

Farewell  !  Hearty  greetings  to  yours  :  study  your 
choruses,  lead  the  life  of  a  saint,  and  do  not  go  in  for 
too  much  management ! 

Ever  your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

Would  you  be  so  kind  as  to  send  a  book  of  words  of 
the  Flying  Dutchman  to  H.  Michaelson  (Leipzigerstrasse 
42,  Berlin)  ? 

47- 

MY  DEAR  OLD  FRIEND  ! 

I  was  still  on  my  sick  couch  when  what  you 
sent  yesterday  arrived,  and  there  I  have  been  ever 
since  I  wrote  my  last  letter  to  you. 

I  say  nothing  more  ! — 

To-day  I  got  up  from  bed  for  an  hour,  in  order  to 
write  to  X.,  because  the  recent  news  about  him  left  me 
no  rest.  I  prefer  to  have  the  letter  sent  through  you  : 
first  of  all  that  X.  may  not  be  able  to  deny  the  receipt 
of  it,  and  secondly,  that  you  may  read  it  over  first ; 
you  need  then  only  to  close  it.  It  is  really  a  pitiable 
business  ! !  ! — 

Many  thanks  for  the  copy  ;  it  has  turned  out  remark- 
ably well.  Tell  that  to  Wolfel  from  me  ! 

Then  I  have  still  a  great  request.  Be  so  kind  and 
ask  Furstenau  to  send  at  once  (by  post)  half  a  ream  of 
the  same  paper  which  Wolfel  got  from  him.  He  could 
receive  the  amount  through  the  post-office ;  or — if  that 


408  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

won't  do — you  could  perhaps  settle  it ;  or,  if  even  that 
won't  do,  Fiirstenau  might  perhaps  draw  a  bill  on  me. 
Otherwise  I  would  send  him  the  trifling  sum  at  once. 

I  can't  keep  up,  and  must  go  back  to  bed  :  I  already 
feel  bad. — 

Greet  me  Heines,  and  hold  in  kind  remembrance 
Your  thankful 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

48. 

AH,  YOU  DEAR,  GOOD,  OLD  FISCHER  ! 

I  have  had  "  roses  "  on  my  face  again ;  but  still 
my  humour  will  not  turn  very  rosy.  During  such  an 
illness  letter-stuff  always  accumulates,  and  now  to  pay 
off  my  debts  I  must  manage  as  sparingly  as  possible, 
so  as  not  to  impoverish  my  treasury  of  writing-inclina- 
tion too  markedly  to  the  advantage  of  one  creditor. — I 
thank  you  very  much  for  thinking  of  me  immediately 
on  the  news  of  X.'s  death ;  but  what  can  7  do  from 
here  in  this  case  ?  I  should  much  like  to  know  what 
has  taken  place,  and  with  what  result.  I  fear,  however, 
that  I  can  only  consider  that  that  copyright  business 
has  again  taken  an  ominous  turn,  in  direct  consequence 
of  X.'s  death  !  !  Ah  !  how  pleasant  all  that  is  ! !  At 
last  one  makes  a  success  with  an  opera  to  which  so 
much  has  been  sacrificed,  and  then —  ! !  It's  a  real 

joy!— 

Also  your  news  about  Lohengrin  at  Bremen  surprised 
me  very  much,  since  the  management  there  has  not  yet 
troubled  itself  about  me  the  least  bit  in  the  world  :  it 
gave  the  opera  without  saying  a  word  to  me  on  the 
subject.  I  at  once  wrote,  complained  of  such  unloyal 


TO    W1LHELM    FISCHER.  409 

behaviour,  and  demanded  an  immediate  honorarium. 
A  fortnight  has  passed,  and  still  I  have  no  answer. 
That  is  really  the  first  time  a  theatre  has  played  me 
such  a  trick  ! — Tichatschek  might  do  something  in  the 
matter.  Or  shall  I  make  a  public  scandal  ?  That 
again  is  not  very  pleasant.  That  T.  has  at  last  sung 
the  Lohengrin  gave  me  great  joy  !  I  certainly  was  not 
mistaken  when,  in  writing  that  part,  I  foresaw  that  it 
would  be  one  of  his  best  !  Only,  what  a  pity  that  I 
could  not  give  a  performance  of  the  opera  with  him, 
and,  instead,  must  leave  it  to  bunglers  to  create  the- 
part.  I  willingly  believe,  that  even  now  Tichatschek 
is  the  best  in  it,  and  again,  willingly  would  I  be  present 
when  he  sings  it.  If  he  had  only  employed  his  splendid 
powers  somewhere  else  !  I  would  rather  it  had  been 
Hamburg  or  Breslau.  Perhaps  that  will  still  be  pos- 
sible for  him  !  Best  greetings  to  him  from  me,  and  tell 
him  that  in  spirit  here  I  stood  upon  my  head,  entirely 
as  he  deserved  ! — 

That  I  do  not  even  manage  to  write  to  my  good  old 
Heinemann  is  indeed  dreadful :  Heaven  knows  !  I 
would  like  to  write  many  sheetsful  of  good  sense  to 
him,  and  that's  just  what  makes  it  so  difficult  that  I 
almost  always  can't  help  preferring  to  settle  the  matter 
with  a  right  honourable  and  cordial  greeting. 

For  a  long  time  I  have  been  constantly  dreaming  that 
I  was  back  in  Dresden,  but  secretly  hidden  in  your 
house ;  and  just  as  secretly  you  brought  me  into  the 
theatre,  and  there  I  heard  one  of  my  operas,  but  all 
wrong  and  out  of  tune,  so  that  I  became  wild  and 
wanted  to  shout  out  loud,  from  which  you,  in  great 
alarm,  were  trying  to  stop  me.  Certainly,  if  ever  I 


4i o  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

were  permitted  to  return  to  Germany,  and  could  so  far 
conquer  my  repugnance  as  to  call  at  Dresden,  it  would 
for  sure  be  only  secretly  and  for  the  purpose  of  sur- 
prising you  all  one  evening,  and  playing  the  fool  with 
you.  Mamma  Heine  would  have  to  get  ready  the 
pickled  herring,  as  on  the  Rienzi  evening.  Then  indeed 
would  we  see  who  had  altered ! !  A  thousand  hearty 
greetings  for  to-day ! 

At  last  the   Walkiire  is  finished  :  it  has  turned  out 

remarkably  beautiful  :  I  lately  had  a  performance  of  the 

1  First  Act  in  my  own  house.     I  sang  the  Siegmund  and 

Hunding,  and  Frau  Heine,  an  excellent  amateur,  the 

Sieglinde :  a  friend  accompanied. 

Now,  I  shall  soon  set  to  work  at  Junge  Siegfried. 
In  1857  I  shall  perform  the  whole  thing  here  :  seats 
are  reserved  for  you.  Get  me  a  good  tenor  ! — And  till 
then  hold  me  always  in  kind  remembrance,  and  be 
thanked  a  thousand  times  for  your  faithful  friendship, 
which  always  gives  me  the  highest  comfort.  Live  well 
and  soundly. 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  April  2<)th,  '56. 

49- 
DEAREST  OLD  FRIEND  ! 

Do  not  be  angry  with  me,  if,  after  a  lengthy 
silence,  I  only  send  you  to-day  a  hurried  request. 
Liszt,  who  is  still  with  me,  is  pressing  me  for  my 
arrangement  of  Palestrina's  Stabat  Mater.  I  once 
asked  you  to  send  it  here  with  some  other  things. 
Would  you  be  kind  enough  to  send  me  a  parcel  right 
quickly,  and,  beside  the  Stabat,  put  in  the  Bach 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  4 1  I 

Motets  and  Passion  music,  the  Ninth  Symphony,  etc.  ? 
The  score  of  the  Iphigenia  in  Aulis  that  I  asked  for,  I 
would  also  much  like  to  have  :  you  said,  you  know, 
that  Liittichau  had  consented  to  let  me  have  a  copy. 

So — let  me  have  the  said  things  at  once. — I  am  more 
and  more  satisfied  with  my  health  :  my  last  cure  was 
highly  beneficial  to  me,  and  I  am  well  rid  of  the 
wretched  erysipelas.  Also  I  have  again  commenced 
working  with  great  eagerness.  Liszt's  visit  is  now 
engrossing  my  time. — Whenever  shall  I  see  you  again  ? 
And  how  are  you  ?  Always  active  and  jolly  ?  That, 
etc.,  Tichatschek  has  not  written  me  a  word  since  his 
visit :  tell  him  he  is  a 

And  greet  Heine,  and  hold  me  dear,  as  you  always 
are  and  will  be  to  your 

R.  W. 

ZURICH,  November  "jth,  '56. 

50. 

Kindest  greetings  for  the  New  Year,  my  dear 
good  old  Fischer ! 

Say,  are  you  still  angry  with  me  on  account  of  that 
letter  to  L.,  that  you  always  keep  on  grumbling  about 
it  in  spite  of  my  detailed  and  (I  think)  satisfactory 
explanation  ?  And  ever  again,  as  though  I  consider 
you — i.e.,  thee  (?) — incapable  of  giving  the  Lohengrin  ? 
If  you  happen — a  thing  I  certainly  do  not  expect — to 
preserve  my  letters,  do  read  through  again  what  I  have 
already  said  to  you  in  explanation  on  this  point;  and 
do  not  be  unfair  with  me,  as  though  you  did  not  know 
what  I  had  meant  in  my  former  letter  to  L.  You  know 
that  the  countermanding  of  the  scenery  for  Lohengrin 


4i2  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

so  embittered  me,  that  I  lost  all  desire  to  see  this  very 
opera  performed  at  Dresden,  which  I  had  specially 
calculated  for  that  place,  and  that  in  consequence  I  had 
still  to  get  rid  of  a  feeling  of  revenge  against  L.  Now, 
however,  since  I  have  discovered  that  L.  did  not  of  his 
own  impulse  set  aside  my  opera,  but  only  did  this  in 
obedience  to  a  hint  from  above,  I  look  at  the  matter 
in  quite  a  different  light,  and  can  no  longer  bear  L. 
a  grudge  about  it.  This  I  have  requested  Tichatschek 
to  tell  him  :  if  he  has  not  done  it  that  is  his  affair. 
But,  you  wicked  old  friend,  you  should  not  always  be 
worrying  about  a  mistake  that  has  been  cleared  up. 
Still  I  must  tell  you  again  that  the  performance  of 
Lohengrin  under  the  direction  of  R.  or  K.  is  for  me  an 
unpleasant  and  painful  thought,  however  high  may  be 
your  opinion  of  these  gentlemen. 

— So  for  the  New  Year  I  have  now  told  you  what 
you  astonished  and  vexed  me  with  in  the  Old. — 

Best  thanks  for  what  you  have  sent.  I  have  again 
got  a  lot  of  silly  stuff  into  my  house  !  How  you  really 
manage  to  have  so  many  worries  with  the  rubbish,  and 
especially  with  me,  is  certainly  a  serious  matter,  and  I 
am  sure  any  other  but  you  would  long  ago  have  lost 
all  patience.  Heaven  grant  that  I  may  be  able  one 
day  so  to  thank  you  for  your  faithful,  touching,  and 
helpful  friendship,  as  is  so  often  my  heart's  desire 
when  I  am  with  you  in  my  thoughts.  How  often  do  we 
speak,  Minna  and  I,  of  our  good  old  friends  Fischer  and 
Heine,  and  especially  do  we  go  back  to  the  early  days 
of  our  arrival  in  Dresden,  where  we  so  suddenly  found 
these  good,  these  best  of  friends  !  That,  too,  is  my  most 
refreshing  remembrance  of  the  Rienzi  days.  That  this 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  413 

love  has  now  maintained  itself  so  long,  and  far  beyond 
our  separation,  is  certainly  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
experiences  of  my  life.  Most  heartfelt  greetings  to  you 
and  Heine. — Do  not  be  angry  with  me  for  taking 
advantage  once  more  of  your  kindness,  with  regard 
to  the  sending  of  Tannhauser  to  Basle.  Tannhduser 
will  probably  soon  have  ended  its  fortunate  course ! — 

Of  Tichatschek  you  may  hear  somewhat  further 
from  me,  though  it  be  but  little.  Farewell,  and  hold 
me  dear  !  Anf  Wiedersehen. 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  January  2nd,  '57. 

51- 

DEAR  OLD  FELLOW  ! 

Do  please  send  at  once  a  revised  score  of  the 
Flying  Dutchman  for  the  Carlsruhe  Court  Theatre,  to 
E.  D.  Give  me  an  account  of  what  you  have  laid  out, 
for  you  have  certainly  advanced  money,  and  tell  me 
how  much  I  shall  send  you,  so  that  you  may  have 
something  in  hand  to  go  on  with. 

You  are  already  accustomed   to  these  flying  notes, 
so  that  I  need  not  apologize. 
With  deep  thanks,  always 

Your  faithful 

R.  W. 

ZURICH,  February  12th,  '57, 

52. 

MY  DEAR  GOOD  FISCHER  ! 

How  are  you,  then,  and  how  is  Heine  ?  Did 
he  give  you  my  greetings  last  summer  ? — I  live  now 


414  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

in  the  greatest  retirement  from  the  world,  even  from 
Zurich, — i.e.,  I  seldom  go  into  the  town,  but  instead 
live  quietly  in  my  pleasant  little  country  house,  watch 
my  wife  attending  to  the  garden,  work,  and  go  for 
walks  in  a  pleasant  valley  :  that  is  my  whole  life.  Yet 
I  have  had  German  visitors :  Ed.  Devrient,  Prager,  and 
Rockel  (from  England),  Robert  Franz,  etc.,  etc.,  were 
this  summer  with  me  for  a  longer  or  shorter  period, 
and  we  had  a  lot  of  music,  Rheingold,  Walkure,  and 
the  two  finished  acts  of  Junge  Siegfried.  I  am  now 
composing  Tristan  und  Isolde,  about  which  Heine  has 
probably  told  you  something.  I  hope  to  finish  it  next 
summer,  and  with  this  work  to  offer  the  theatres  a  task 
easy  to  master.  But  I  must  first  produce  it  somewhere 
myself :  otherwise  I  do  not  give  it  forth.  I  will  wait 
and  see  how  it  succeeds,  and  what  the  possibilities 
are. 

I  have  really  little  hopes  of  Dresden  :  the  King  is 
personally  averse  to  me.  For  the  rest,  I  should  think 
my  stupid  Dresden  game  of  nine  years  back  has  been 
forgotten  now  ? 

—Meanwhile,  as  Heaven  wills  :  if  I  should  never 
receive  an  amnesty,  I  must  console  myself  with  the 
thought  that  I  should  never  have  got  much  joy  from 
the  German  theatres. 

Greetings  to  Tichatschek  from  me.  I  do  not  really 
know  what  to  think  of  him.  About  Easter  he  wrote 
to  me  that  he  was  then  leaving  Dresden  for  several 
months,  and  would  be  glad  to  see  me  again.  Well, 
I  kept  on  waiting  for  his  visit :  I  would  have  written 
to  him  again  about  it,  if  I  had  only  known  where  to. 
For  he  went,  in  fact,  on  his  travels.  Now  that  he  has 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  415 

not  come,  and  has  written  nothing  further  to  me  thereon, 
I  am  as  much  surprised  as  grieved  at  heart. 

Well,  our  Prague  enthusiast,  Apt,  has  also  been  here. 
I  was  glad  to  get  news  of  you  through  him.  He  wished 
absolutely  to  buy  a  score  of  Rienzi,  and  I  promised  to 
write  to  you  about  it.  But  I  think  I  shall  do  better 
to  keep  back  the  few  scores  still  remaining ;  the  opera 
cannot,  after  all,  be  smothered,  and  I  will  do  nothing  to 
injure  it,  just  out  of  consideration  for  K.  and  P.,  who, 
by  the  circulation  of  Rtenzi,  may  be  able  to  make  profit. 
I  therefore  ask  you  to  lend  a  score  to  Apt ;  he  can  keep 
it  for  awhile,  and  have  copied  out  of  it  what  he  wants. — 

You  gave  me  hopes  of  a  visit  from  the  music- 
publisher  M. ;  now,  unfortunately,  he  has  not  come, 
and,  on  the  other  hand,  I  hear  of  nothing  but  fresh 
confusion  and  lack  of  energy  in  the  management  of  the 
business.  The  pianoforte  arrangement  without  words 
of  Tannhmiscr  (so  profitable  for  the  market)  is  still  not 
out  !  Do  persuade  M.  to  write  categorically  to  me 
about  the  whole  matter. — 

As  regards  Tristan,  that  must  remain  between  our- 
selves. I  will  not  let  anything  leak  out  concerning 
it. — 

And  now,  you  good,  bad  old  friend  !  when  shall  I 
at  last  see  you  again  ?  ?  You  and  Heine  must  visit  me 
next  summer  and  stay  with  me ;  if  you  don't  do  that 
I  will  never  in  my  life  write  to  you  again  ! — But  now, 
last  of  all,  a  thousand  greetings  to  yourself,  and  greet 
Wilhelm,  and  let  all  of  you  hold  me  dear. 

Adieu,  good  old  fellow  !  Your 

R.  W. 

ZURICH,  October  zgth,  '57. 


416  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

53- 
MY  DEAR  OLD  FRIEND  ! 

Hearty  thanks  for  your  last  letter ;  your  wonder- 
ful activity  has  rejoiced  me  uncommonly,  and  the 
promise  of  your  visit  next  year  gives  me  a  hope  that 
warms  my  heart,  and  which  you  must  not  reduce  to 
nothingness. — 

But  it  is  characteristic  and  touching,  above  all  else, 
that  it  should  be  left  for  an  old  fellow — like  yourself — 
to  introduce  Liszt  to  Dresden  !  In  this  one  sees  what 
youth  and  old  age  are,  and  whether  it  is  a  question  of 
years,  or  of  heart  and  right  understanding !  In  this 
you  have  again  proved  your  metal,  as  once  upon  a 
time  with  me :  for  without  you  I  should  never  have 
made  my  way  with  Rienzi.  Honour  to  you,  dear  good 
old  fellow ! — 

About  Heine's  activity  with  a  Conservatorium  I  know 
nothing  at  all  ?  But  that  is  altogether  grand,  for  therein 
I  see  that  he  also  keeps  himself  fresh  and  active ;  still 
there  is  a  good  strong  blend  of  my  own  egoism  in  it, 
for  thus  I  may  venture  all  the  more  to  hope  to  see  you 
both  again,  as  the  old  fellows  of  former  times.  May  it 
only  be  soon — at  latest  next  summer,  for  then  you  will 
both  come  to  me  ! — 

I  am  very  glad  that  you  have  not  yet  communicated 
to  L.  the  last  propositions  I  sent  you,  and  I  hope  also 
that  nothing  has  been  done  since  then.  For  should 
you  think — as  you  hinted  to  me — that  that  old  debt 
may  be  regarded  as  cancelled,  and  that — in  the  case  of 
an  amnesty — they  would  not  think  of  causing  me  any 
further  unpleasantness  on  account  of  it :  in  that  case  I 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  417 

should  be  most  thankful,  and  let  the  matter  drop.  For 
— this  I  say  honestly — the  only  thing  that  made  me 
think  of  offering  myself  again  to  the  Dresden  Court  in 
any  capacity  was  the  perplexity  in  which  I  was  placed 
by  the  idea  that  they  might  still  expect  from  me  a 
satisfaction  of  that  debt. 

But  apart  from  that,  there  is  nothing  I  long  for  more 
than  to  remain — free,  and  never  again  to  accept  any 
kind  of  engagement  whatever.  Dresden — the  theatre 
— L.,  etc.,  awake  in  me  such  a  train  of  tormenting 
remembrances,  that  I  would  like  to  be  for  ever  con- 
sidered there  as  dead.  Only  yourself  and  Heine 
would  I  take  from  out  of  the  place  !  That  you  will 
see  ! — So,  let  that  be  kept  to  yourself,  and — should  the 
occasion  arise — mention  nothing  of  my  propositions, 
unless  you  perceive  that  they  are  going  to  demand 
such  a  compensation  from  me. 

Lately  the  Grand  Duke  of  Baden  sent  me  a  message 
that  he  had  just  written  to  the  King  of  Saxony,  in 
order  to  obtain  permission  for  me  to  visit  Carlsruhe. 
I  am  now  waiting  to  see  if  he  has  in  any  way  succeeded, 
but  naturally  doubt  it  very  much  ! — Yet  I  presume 
that  my  affair  is  likely  now  to  be  taken  up  again ; 
hence  the  above  hint. 

For  the  rest,  I  do  not  believe  that  anywhere  in  the 
world  are  there  such  muddled-headed  men  as  in  Dresden. 
You  will  easily  guess  that  I  refer  again  to  the  business 
successors  of  the  late  X. !  If  you  should  see  the  music- 
publisher  M.,  please  tell  him  that,  if  his  intentions  are 
friendly,  he  ought  not  to  refrain  from  writing  me,  and 
to  some  extent  explaining  the  state  of  things.  As 
far  back  as  last  Easter  the  lawyer  of  Fraiilein  X.  sent 

27 


4i 8  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

me  the  inventory,  with  the  notice  that  the  publishing 
business  had  been  handed  over  to  M.  But,  as  I  have 
transferred  all  my  rights  in  the  business,  it  was  my 
duty  to  hand  over  the  whole  matter  to  the  attorney  of 
these  two  persons,  and  at  the  same  time  to  express  to 
him  my  astonishment  that  he  should  look  so  badly 
after  the  interests  of  his  clients  that  the  attorney  of 
the  opposite  party,  in  spite  of  the  surrender,  still 
thought  it  necessary  to  apply  to  me  and  not  to  him ! 
Now  for  a  long  time  I  have  heard  nothing  at  all — until 
at  last  M.  returns  me,  through  you,  this  unheard-of, 
unexpected  answer.  It  is  enough  to  make  one  mad ! 
But  tell  M.  that  all  I  want  from  him  is  information  about 
the  technical  part  of  the  publishing ;  because,  though 
I  have  no  longer  any  present  right  to  the  receipts,  I 
still  am  anxious  that  the  business  should  be  conducted 
in  such  a  way  that  my  assignees  may  derive  the  utmost 
possible  profit  from  it. — 

Yes,  considering  that  I  can  get  no  other  news  about 
the  real  state  of  affairs,  I  shall  have  to  be  prepared  next 
for  being  summarily  sued  again,  especially  if  people 
are  always  hearing  such  silly  nonsense  about  my 
income  as  appears  from  time  to  time ! — O — you 
divinely  practical  men  ! — 

Well,  that  is  the  old  story  over  again — much  the 
same  as  it  has  been  told  for  the  last  six  years !  Do 
not  be  angry  that  I  give  it  you  to  hear.  But  you 
appear  to  me — alas  !  the  only  clear  and  intelligent  head 
amongst  these  stupid  creatures. 

Otherwise,  dearest  old  fellow,  I  am  well :  I  live 
alone,  work,  read,  and  make  good  music.  You  may 
take  my  word  for  it :  Tristan  will  please  even  you, 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  419 

although  there  are  not  many  choruses  in  it  !  A 
thousand  greetings  to  you  and  Heine  from  me  and 
Minna. 

Good-bye  !     Remain  what  you  are. 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  December  2nd,  '57. 

I  herewith  commission  Herr  Chorus-master  Fischer, 
Sen.,  of  Dresden,  to  send  off  at  once  a  copy  of  the 
score  and  of  the  libretto  of  my  opera  Rienzi  to  the 
High  Intendant  of  the  Royal  Court  Theatre  in 
Hanover. 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

S,  January  i8th,  '58. 


54- 
DEAREST  FRIEND, 

I  beg  you  this  moment  to  get  sent  here  —  to 
Paris  —  the  two  copies  I  requested  of  the  pianoforte 
arrangements  of  my  three  operas  that  X.  published. 
I  wrote  about  them  last  week,  but  on  this  point  have 
received  no  answer.  The  securing  of  the  French  copy- 
right for  these  operas  depends  upon  this  step,  and  I 
wish  to  ensure  this  result  —  for  selling  to  publishers 
here  —  should  it  come  to  that.  If  the  things  have  not  yet 
gone  (for  with  your  people  dawdling  of  all  kinds  is  pos- 
sible), they  should  be  sent  —  by  post  —  to  the  following 
address  :  Monsieur  E.  Ollivier,  Avocat  au  barreau  de 
Paris  et  membre  du  corps  legislatif,  29,  Rue  St. 
Guillaume,  Fbg.  St.  Germain  a  Paris. 

You  could  perhaps  have  this  seen  to  by  the  present 
publisher  himself. 


42O  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

Do  not  be  angry  with  me.  But  you  are  the  only  one 
on  whom  I  can  depend. 

More  shortly  from  Zurich.  Here  I  am  always  in 
horrible  haste. 

By  the  way,  I  read  in  the  newspapers  that  my 
Tannhauser  is  accepted  for  the  Grand  Opera  here,  and 
that  I  have  come  hither  for  the  rehearsals.  Do  con- 
tradict this.  Up  to  now  no  word  of  truth  in  it.  I  am 
here  to  prevent  its  being  used  at  other  theatres  (without 
asking  my  permission) :  but  what  is  not,  may  be. 
Adieu  !  In  haste  ! 

Your 

RICH.  WAGNER. 

PARIS,  January  2Jth,  '58. 

55- 

Ha  !  I  may  as  well  write  again  to  Fischer  ! — thought 
I  to  myself  yesterday. — So  listen  ! 

DEAR  OLD  PARTNER  ! 

I  have  just  learnt,  as  the  final  result  of  my 
inquiries,  that  according  to  the  agreement  between 
France  and  Saxony  of  the  year  1856,  nothing  more  is 
necessary  to  establish  the  copyright  even  of  musical 
works,  than  that  the  author  or  his  publisher  should 
deposit  for  this  purpose  two  copies  in  Leipzig  itself,  I 
believe  in  the  Booksellers'  Exchange ;  they  will  there 
be  registered  under  the  terms  of  the  treaty,  and  a 
certificate  to  that  effect  will  be  sent  to  Paris ;  which 
certificate,  once  deposited  in  the  proper  quarter,  the 
right  of  publication  is  guaranteed  for  France.  Perhaps 
Herr  M.,  the  present  agent  for  our  publications,  knew 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  421 

of  this,  and  therefore  did  not  send  the  pianoforte 
arrangements  to  Paris. 

Now,  I  beg  you  (it  is  truly  a  shame  that  I  should 
always  yoke  an  old  and  worried  man  like  you  to  such 
a  heap  of  rubbish  ! — but  it  is  because  you  are  my  only 
refuge),  so  I  beg  you  to  tell  M.,  with  all  speed,  that 
if  the  pianoforte  arrangements  have  not  yet  been  sent, 
he  need  not  do  so  now :  but,  if  this  has  been  done,  I 
will  see  about  sending  them  back  to  Dresden.  For  the 
present  we  have  only  to  see  at  once  about  two  other 
copies  for  Leipzig,  then  to  proceed  in  the  manner  indi- 
cated above.  I  suppose  M.  has  his  agent  in  Leipzig 
who  attends  to  these  matters :  if  not,  he  must  have  it 
arranged  by  Breitkopf  und  Hcirtel,  to  whom  I  will  write 
to-morrow  about  taking  over  this  commission. 

But  the  certificate  of  registration  should  be  sent  to  me 
in  Paris  immediately  it  is  executed,  and,  mind  you,  to 
the  address  which  I  already  gave  in  my  last  letter  : 

"  Monsieur  E.  Ollivier, 

Avocat  an  barreau  de  Paris,  et  membredu  corps  le'gislatif, 
29,  Rue  St.  Guillaume,  Fbg.  St.  Germain  a,  Paris." 

This  gentleman — Liszt's  new  son-in-law — is  my 
lawyer,  attends  to  everything  for  me,  and  is  specially 
commissioned  by  me  to  look  after  this  copyright ; 
while  I,  on  the  other  hand,  assign  it  to  my  creditors  in 
such  a  way  that  I  undertake  that  all  future  proceeds  of 
sale  or  honoraria,  which  Parisian  publishers  shall  pay 
for  issuing  one  or  other  of  these  three  operas,  shall  be 
handed  over  in  their  entirety,  until  the  demands  on  me 
.are  fully  satisfied. 


422  RICHARD    WAGNER'S    LETTERS 

Now,  I  am  only  curious  as  to  whether  I  shall  at  last 
hear  anything  from  you,  and  whether  the  matter  will  be 
set  straight. 

Yesterday  evening  I  found  in  my  room  your  last 
packet,  the  Rienzi  text-book,  which  I  asked  for.  You 
cannot  think  how  delighted  I  am  when  I  see  your  hand- 
writing, you  dear,  good  old  fellow  ! 

Beyond  that,  there  is  not  much  to  say  about  this 
text.  Merely  this,  that  a  translator  has  offered  himself 
to  me  who  is  said  to  be  a  good  hand  at  his  work.  For 
the  rest,  I  have  come  here  simply  to  prevent  a  possible 
murdering  of  any  of  my  operas  at  the  subordinate 
theatres  without  my  being  asked.  I  could  only  be 
safe  from  this  if  the  rights  of  ownership  provided  by 
the  International  Treaty  were  secured  for  these  operas. 
On  that  basis  I  then  gain  this  much,  that  I  can  also 
prevent  performances;  and  that  was  what  I  wanted. 
Moreover,  all  here  think  that  overtures  will  very  soon 
be  made  me  on  the  part  of  the  management  of  the 
Grand  Opera ;  but  I  must  quietly  wait  for  this,  for  if 
/  offer  myself,  I  tie  my  own  hands.  I  will  only  allow 
Tannhauser  to  be  performed  if  it  can  be  given  in  its 
entirety,  without  mutilations.  It  is  possible,  nay  pro- 
bable, that  that  will  come  off  next  winter.  So  stand 
matters ! 

I  travel  back  next  week.  Let  me  know  soon  what 
is  being  done  about  Rienzi.  Greetings  to  Heine  and. 
Tichatschek,  and  remain  good  and  kind  to  me ! 

Your  fussy 

RICHARD  W. 

PARIS,  January  2<)th,  '58. 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  423 

56. 

DEAREST  FRIEND,  BROTHER,  AND  Regisseur, 

To  your  noble  Latin  hand-writing  I  must  reply 
with  my  bad  one  as  quickly  as  possible. 

I  am  back,  and  thinking  again  of  serious  work.  In  Paris 
I  had  nothing  further  to  attend  to  than  the  recognition 
of  my  copyright  in  my  own  operas.  I  was  sorry  to 
supply  a  fresh  occasion  of  confusion  to  my  Dresden 
confusion-counsellors.  At  the  last  moment  I  was 
obliged  to  countermand  my  first  request  to  send  two 
copies  of  my  pianoforte  editions,  because  it  was  only 
then  that  I  received  definite  information  as  to  what  had 
to  be  done  in  conformity  with  the  treaties.  When  I 
was  informed,  however,  that  the  music  had,  after  all, 
been  sent  off,  I  further  wrote  that  the  Dresden  agent, 
Herr  M.,  must  now  arrange  whether  it  should  be  sent 
back  again,  or  perhaps  remain  in  Paris  for  other  pur- 
poses. Anyhow,  I  am  now  waiting  for  the  news  that 
the  required  certificate  regarding  the  deposition  in 
Leipzig  has  arrived  in  Paris ;  for  on  that  depends  all 
further  movements.  Do  be  so  good,  and  sharpen  up 
the  wits  of  Herr  Musikhandler  M.  a  little  on  this  point. 
In  general,  too,  I  should  very  much  like  to  enter  into 
direct  communication  with  this  gentleman.  I  want 
nothing  but  that  my  advice  respecting  the  fructification 
of  the  vested  capital  should  be  asked  for  and  followed ; 
and  this  I  can  only  bring  about  by  communicating 
directly  with  Herr  M.  But  he  still  puts  off  writing  to 
me.  Meanwhile  time  is  passing,  and  the  pianoforte 
edition  without  words  still  does  not  appear.  In  Paris, 
on  the  other  hand,  I  found  in  French  families  many 


424  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

copies  of  the  full  pianoforte  score  of  Tannhciuser.  They 
must  be  selling  wonderfully  well.  So — please  once 
more  earnestly  pray  Herr  M.  to  write  to  me ;  he  can, 
indeed,  have  all  my  proposals  scrutinized  by  the  lawyer. 
If  they  delay  longer  with  the  pianoforte  score  without 
words,  I  shall  straightway  fix  a  term  within  which  I 
then  give  myself  the  right  to  hand  over  this  important 
arrangement  to  another  publisher  ;  for  I  can  no  longer 
bear  to  see  the  object  of  publication  so  carelessly 
exploited. 

Besides  this,  I  have  lately  wanted  to  impart  to  you  a 
wish,  the  fulfilment  of  which  is  now,  however,  rendered 
more  difficult  by  the  unfortunate  fact  that,  as  you  tell 
me,  the  Rienzi  in  Dresden  has  been  again  put  off,  until 
the  summer.  For  I  should  like  to  make  money  out  of 
this  opera  as  rapidly  as  possible,  before  my  latest  work 
appears.  In  the  hope  that  Rienzi  might  still  come  out 
in  February  at  Dresden,  I  had  already  invited  Hanover, 
Breslau,  and  Frankfort  to  produce  it  quickly.  As 
Rienzi  is  now  practically  a  dead  letter,  these  theatres 
will  naturally  wait  for  the  Dresden  revival ;  so  my  plan 
has  fallen  through.  According  to  it,  I  had  intended  to 
seek  out  an  agent  to  attend  to  the  sale  of  the  score  to 
the  theatres.  The  present  stock  of  scores  was  to  be 
given  to  him,  with  the  right  of  making  copies  as  soon 
as  it  should  be  exhausted  ;  I  also  proposed  to  give  him 
an  exact  table  of  the  charges  to  the  different  theatres, 
which  I  should  have  appraised  according  to  the  scale  of 
payments  made  for  Tannhciuser.  Then  the  agent  was 
to  sell  the  opera,  according  to  the  prescribed  terms  for 
honoraria,  and  send  me  a  quarterly  account.  In  order 
to  secure  myself  (and  because  I  am  very  much  in 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  425 

need  of  money  !)  he  was  to  pay  me  at  once  1,000-1,500 
thalers  in  advance,  in  return  for  which  I  would  not  only 
pay  him  interest  on  this  advance  until  the  honoraria 
came  in,  but  moreover  (on  condition  of  the  advance), 
would  adjudge  him  twenty-five  per  cent,  of  the  profits 
as  commission.  This  would  certainly  be  a  most  advan- 
tageous business  for  an  agent ;  but  as  I  should  have  to 
insist  upon  the  advance,  naturally  the  only  person  vuho 
could  be  found  ready  to  undertake  the  matter  would 
be  one  who  was  certain  of  the  success  of  Rienzi,  and 
placed  full  faith  in  it.  Now,  as  things  have  gone 
hitherto  with  the  opera,  this  could  therefore  only  be  a 
Dresdener,  because  every  Dresdener  knows  what  there 
is  in  Rienzi,  and  can  be  sure  of  his  affair.  Do  you 
perhaps  know  some  one  on  whom  one  could  rely  ? 
The  best  person  would  appear  to  me  to  be  Herr  M. 
Naturally,  as  this  concerns  my  reserved  right  of  sale  to 
the  theatres,  it  would  remain  a  private  matter  of  business 
between  myself  and  M. ;  and,  if  he  undertook  it,  it 
would  be  wise  to  keep  the  affair,  for  the  present,  to 
ourselves,  at  least  as  regards  the  advance ;  the  adver- 
tisements and  applications  to  the  theatres  he  could 
issue  nevertheless,  simply  in  a  private  way.  If  you 
think  he  can  scrape  up  the  advance,  do  speak  soon 
with  him.  Will  you  be  so  kind  ? 

For  the  rest,  I  may  inform  you  that  I  possess  my 
original  score  of  Rienzi  ;  so  it  has  not  got  lost.  But 
the  library  of  the  Dresden  theatre  certainly  possesses 
the  first  copy  of  the  original  score ;  why  did  you  not 
let  Apt  of  Prague  have  the  information  he  wanted  out 
of  that  ? 

Concerning  Paris,  I  deem  it  possible  that  Rienzi  may 


426  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

be  given  next  winter  in  the  Theatre  Lyrique,  yet  nothing 
is  settled.     I  am  waiting  about  Tannhauser. 

What,  then,  is  your  Heine  doing  with  the  Dresden 
Conservatorium  ?  Cannot  I  learn  some  more  particulars 
about  it  ? 

And  why  have  you  not  brought  out  Rienzi  yet  ?  This 
has  put  me  very  much  out,  and  also  is  a  hindrance  to 
my  Paris  prospects  !  Oh,  you  dawdlers  !  Well,  about 
this,  as  about  so  many  other  things,  I  must  learn  to  be 
patient.  Good  heavens  !  who  would  have  believed  that 
after  nine  years  there  would  be  no  prospect  for  me  of  an 
amnesty  ! — 

Instead  of  that  you  must,  in  any  case,  pay  me  a  visit 
in  the  spring,  however  busy  you  may  be  as  Manager  ! 

Greet  Heine  !     Farewell,  and  remain  good  to  your 

RICH.  WAGNER. 

ZURICH,  February  Jth,  '58. 

57- 

DEAREST  OLD  FELLOW  ! 

To-day  I  come  to  you  with  a  good  strong  pinch 
of  snuff.  I  beg  you,  right  quickly — either  in  person  or 
through  Heine,  but  best  of  all  through  a  well-disposed 
and  influential  intermediate  personage — to  have  the 
letter  to  Prince  Albert,  in  which  I  make  a  last  attempt 
for  my  pardon  through  his  intercession,  delivered  into 
the  hands  of  the  addressee. 

Turn  and  twist  it  as  I  may,  without  a  speedy 
prospect  of  an  amnesty,  it  is  all  up  with  me :  I  must 
have  the  refreshment  of  performing  my  works — or  I 
must  finally  throw  up  the  sponge.— 


TO   WILHELM    FISCHER.  427 

I  say  nothing  more  to  you,  and  ever  count  on  your 
kindness  and  love ! 

Cordial  thanks  for  everything. 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

(The  address  has  not  turned  out  very  grand  :  if  you 
think  so  too,  you  might  have  a  fresh  one  written.) 

ZURICH,  February  igfh,  '58. 

58. 

O,  YOU  GOOD,  FATHERLY  BROTHER  ! 

Best  thanks  for  the  news  and  the  sign  of  life. 
But  how  can  you  say  that  I  would  not  wait  for  you  in 
Zurich  ?  I  did  not  even  know  that  you  would  really 
come ;  I  only  heard  a  little  whisper,  but  then  again,  on 
the  top  of  that,  that  you  had  given  it  up  and  gone  to 
take  the  waters  ! — Besides,  you  would  have  come  to 
Zurich  too  late  :  I  had  waited  nine  years,  and  at  last 
lost  patience.  Solely  for  that  reason  did  I  go  away. — 
That  you  warn  me  to  rest  at  last  is  not  to  the  point. 
Heavens !  how  I  love  rest — for  other  people  to  take  I 
To  be  serious  :  my  poor  wife  is  suffering  very  much ; 
she  has  heart-disease,  and  one  must  have  experienced 
that  to  know  what  it  means  !  There  is  no  more  rest 
for  the  sufferer,  nor  for  the  persons  in  attendance.  I 
hope  that  she  is  improving  now,  in  comfort  among  her 
relatives  at  Zwickau. 

In  November  she  will — I  think — go  to  Dresden,  there 
to  dispose  herself  and  our  chattels  for  the  present. 
Where  we  shall  finally  settle  down  together  after  that 
must  still  be  uncertain  ;  but,  in  any  case,  I  long  for  a 
definitive  stay  in  a  large  town  with  many  art  facilities,. 


428  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

in  order  from  time  to  time  to  be  able  to  hear,  and 
especially  to  conduct,  a  thing  which  has  been  wanting 
to  me  so  long. 

For  to-day,  I  have  to  thank  you  for  your  continued 
friendly  zeal  in  my  behalf.  I  have  written  at  once  to 
Darmstadt  (Schindelmeisser)  and  to  Munich,  and  in- 
sisted that  you  should  be  paid  for  the  pianoforte 
arrangements.  For  the  future  I  would  advise  you  to 
have  nothing  to  do  with  pianoforte  arrangements  :  how 
the  devil  do  they  concern  us  ?  Let  people  go  to  the 
music-shops,  and  get  their  arrangements  made  from 
their  own  notes  according  to  the  score. — Concerning 
the  honorarium  I  have  written  to  Munich. 

Now,  Heaven  grant  that  Rienzi  may  bring  me  in 
something ;  I  need  it,  and  I  shall  have  no  new  opera 
ready  before  next  year.  Keep  scores  in  readiness ;  I 
will  settle  with  Tichatschek  about  the  expenses.  I  have 
written  to  all  the  good  theatres,  and  hope  you  will  soon 
receive  orders.  I  was  delighted  at  your  bringing  Rienzi 
out  again  in  such  a  grand  way,  and  the  fact  awakened 
some  of  the  pleasantest  remembrances  of  my  life.  I 
thank  your  Wilhelm  heartily  for  the  choruses,  which, 
as  I  hear,  went  so  well.  Concerning  Tichatschek,  one 
must  say  that  the  fellow  is  a  living  wonder.  But  above 
all,  I  rejoice  that  he  is  such  an  excellent  fellow !  A 
thousand  greetings  to  him  ! 

What  are  Mamma  and  Papa  doing  in  Little  Oberseer 
Street  ?  If  I  could  only  see  you  all  soon  again  :  I  much 
need  such  a  cordial ! 

Hearty  greeting,  dear  old  fellow.  With  sincere  thanks, 

Your 

VENICE,  October  gth,  '58.  R.   VV. 


TO    WILHELM    FISCHER.  429 

59- 
DEAR  FRIEND  ! 

I  beg  you  to  confer  at  once  in  my  name  with 
Herr  Musikhandler  M.  on  the  following  subject. 

Some  time  ago  the  musician  Mehnert  discovered,  after 
a  personal  search,  that  there  was  still  a  supply  of  forty- 
two  copies  of  my  score  of  Tannhauser  in  X.'s  ware- 
house. Of  these  he  revised  thirty-two.  Herr  M.  should 
now  explain  what  has  become  of  the  other  ten.  At 
that  time  I  gave  him  instructions  that  no  copy  should 
be  sold  any  more  through  the  music  traders  to  private 
individuals,  as  these  copies  were  my  private  property, 
and  did  not  belong  to  the  general  body  of  publications 
I  had  surrendered.  I  learnt  also  that  my  instructions 
were  carried  out,  since  I  received  repeated  proof  that 
private  individuals  had  wished  to  buy  the  score  from 
the  business,  but  had  been  there  refused.  Relying  on 
this,  and  firmly  believing  that  my  instructions  had  been 
followed  to  the  letter,  I  asked  Hartels  to  engrave  a  new- 
edition  of  the  score,  because  all  the  copies  were  ex- 
hausted ;  all  the  same  I  was  bound,  in  return  for  their 
great  sacrifice,  to  show  them  that  the  score  was  still,  to 
some  extent,  a  source  of  profit,  and  I  therefore  men- 
tioned that  for  the  last  five  years  no  copies  had  been 
delivered  to  private  individuals  through  the  music  trade, 
although  there  had  been  repeated  inquiries  for  them. 
Hereupon  Hartels  assure  me,  however,  that  I  must 
certainly  be  misinformed,  as  only  last  year  they  them- 
selves obtained  a  score  through  the  music  business. 
Herr  M.  might  give  me  some  explanation  of  this.  If 
he  has  been  forced  by  the  other  side  to  go  on  selling 
my  scores,  he  ought  at  least  to  have  given  me  notice  of 


43 o     RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS. 

it;  and  if  he  has  sold  all  the  ten  copies  at  present 
missing,  that  is  a  point  about  which  we  must  have  a 
settlement.  Anyhow,  I  want — in  this  case — at  least 
and  first,  a  formal  declaration  in  writing  from  Herr  M. 
that  he  really  possesses  no  more  copies  of  the  score, 
and  thus  will  not  sell  any  more.  I  want  this  declara- 
tion in  order  to  induce  Hartels  to  undertake  the  great 
cost  of  the  new  edition  of  the  score  which  has  now 
become  necessary.  I  beg  you  to  deliver  the  declaration 
to  my  wife,  for  her  to  forward  to  Hartels. 
Hearty  greetings  from  your 

RICH.  WAGNER. 

VENICE,  March  loth,  '59. 


LETTERS 

TO 

FERDINAND    HEINE, 
1841—1868. 


LETTERS 

TO 

FERDINAND    HEINE, 

1841—1868. 


i. 

MOST  ESTEEMED  HERR  HEINE  ! 

You  cannot  believe  how  much  you  have  rejoiced 
my  hope-sick  heart  when,  from  time  to  time,  in  your 
letters  to  my  brave  friend  Kietz,  you  made  mention  of 
me  and  of  my  affairs.  They  were  hard  times,  and  at 
moments  there  was  need  of  some  upward  impulse; 
however  vague  and  indeterminate  your  communications 
might  be,  yet  they  were  of  the  greatest  importance  to 
me — firstly,  because  they  came  from  a  sympathetic 
man  ;  and  secondly,  because  they  were  the  only  ones. 
Since  then  I  have  certainly  received  a  letter  from 
Councillor  W.,  but  as  he  referred  to  an  official  answer 
which  ought  already  to  have  been  communicated  to 
me,  in  reply  to  my  writing — an  answer,  however,  which 
I  have  never  received — his  letter  contains  nothing 

28 


434  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

definite,  and  allows  of  little  in  the  way  of  anticipation. 
Only  lately  have  I  become  acquainted,  through  my 
friend  Laube  in  Leipzig,  with  certain  expressions  of  Mad. 
Devrient,  which  mainly  confirmed  what  was  already 
known  to  me  through  your  last  letter  to  Kietz,  namely, 
that  she  was  exerting  herself  with  the  most  amiable 
sympathy  in  my  behalf,  but  which  showed  me  still 
more  decidedly  that  the  religious-catholic  part  of  my 
libretto  was  a  chief  stumbling-block.  On  this  hint,  I 
lost  no  time  in  communicating  to  Councillor  W.  all 
the  changes  which  I  had  already  long  prepared  with 
regard  to  this  point.  First  of  all,  I  called  his  attention 
to  the  fact  that  this  was  more  a  question  of  the  catholic 
costume  than  of  the  catholic  idea  :  I  pointed  out  to  him 
that  the  Pope — who,  moreover,  stands  at  a  distance 
from  the  scene  of  action — appears  in  my  book,  not  as 
a  spiritual  power  that  sets  up  or  casts  down  theses 
and  dogmas,  but  simply  as  a  temporal  prince  who  is 
busied  in  protecting  his  earthly  possessions  against  rob- 
bery and  anarchy,  and  only  as  such  at  last  makes  use  of 
his  dreaded  power  in  order  to  get  rid  of  the  too  bold 
defender  of  his  worldly  interests.  That  Rome,  is,  in 
reality,  the  seat  of  action  of  the  drama,  makes  it  of 
course  historically  impossible  to  substitute  another 
sovereign  for  the  Pope  ;  but  as  he  is  only  represented 
by  his  Legate,  his  interference  is  already  somewhat 
toned  down, — and  if  I  now  leave  it  optional  to  change 
this  Legate  and  a  Cardinal  into  one  plain  temporal 
Envoy,  then  there  would  only 'remain  the  ban  of 
excommunication  to  which  exception  could  be  taken. 
But  was  not  the  ban,  though  notably  shortened  in 
form,  still  preserved  in  its  essence  and  significance  in 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  435 

the  performance  of  La  Juive  at  Dresden  ?  Then  why 
not  here  also,  where  from  the  very  first  I  considered  it 
advisable  to  make  its  proclamation  as  short  as  possible  ? 
There  are,  indeed,  excellent  means  of  substantially 
allowing  everything  to  be  represented,  if  only  certain 
cclatanl  externals  and  symbols  be  omitted.  Les  Hugue- 
nots has  been  given — what  more  would  one  have  ?-^-for 
in  it,  however  much  disguised  the  costume,  the  religious- 
dogmatic  tendency  could  now  and  never  be  expunged. 
—But  if  in  my  Rienzi  the  word  Church  is  not  allowed 
to  stand,  well — I  suppose  one  must  then  have  recourse 
to  the  German  Emperor,  and  beseech  him  to  let  one 
thrust  the  whole  affair  into  his  satchel,  and  to  himself 
pronounce  the  excommunication  as  an  Imperial  ban. — 
Surely  priests  and  clerics  have  before  now  passed  in 
solemn  procession  across  the  Dresden  stage  ?  I  should 
be  glad  if  you  would  confirm  this  for  me.  Moreover, 
there  is  no  man  fitter  than  you,  most  worthy  sir,  to 
give  a  certain  medley  to  the  costume,  so  that  it  will  be 
impossible  for  the  Censor,  for  instance,  to  definitely 
point  out  the  Cardinal,  although  every  one  else  will 
recognize  him. 

Well,  I  will  not  trouble  you  any  further  with  my 
explanations  ;  so  I  will  only  add  that  I  have  expressed 
myself  fully  on  this  matter  to  Councillor  W.  (and, 
indeed,  with  the  request  to  bring  my  remarks  to  bear 
upon  the  right  quarter).  But  of  what  avail  is  all  this, 
if  these  gentlemen  do  not  send  me  a  single  word  of 
direct  reply  ?  If  they  will  only  challenge  me,  I  both 
can  and  certainly  will  remove  each  stumbling-block. 
But  why,  in  the  name  of  fortune,  is  this  not  done  ?  In 
order  to  come  to  this  decision,  do  they  require  a  period 


436  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

of  three  months  ?  or  is  it  true — as  I  almost  fear — is  it 
true  that  the  man  who  alone  can  be  deputed  to  pass 
judgment  on  my  musical  composition  is  a  hindrance  to 
my  cause  ? — 

It  is  certainly  of  unmeasurable  importance  that  Mad. 
Devrient  is  interested  in  my  opera,  for  on  this  circum- 
stance alone  rests  the  most  favourable  Chance  for  the 
success  of  my  project.  Should  she  persist,  and  yield 
herself  with  sympathy  to  my  feeble  inspirations,  I  shall 
have  to  thank  this  grand  woman  for  my  All.  How  the 
pygmies  here  disgust  me,  when  I  reflect  on  her  creative 
genius  ! — 

I  found  an  opportunity  to  respond  to  an  invitation  of 
Councillor  W.,  and  to  write  some  Correspondence  for 
his  Abend  Zeitung.  In  it  you  will  find,  among  other 
things,  a  notice,  certainly  only  fugitive  and  superficial,  on 
Vieuxtemps — but  I  promise  you  to  send  more  elaborate 
accounts  to  the  Brockhaus  paper  shortly. — Vieuxtemps 
as  well  as  friend  Kietz  greet  you  cordially,  and  will  soon 
write  to  you.  The  latter  has  lately  been  so  engrossed 
in  a  large  oil-portrait,  that  he  could  not  yet  discharge 
his  duty  of  writing  to  you.  He  had  sent  to  the  exhibi- 
tion a  charming  crayon-drawing,  the  portrait  of  my 
wife,  and  has  now  the  triumph  of  hearing  that  it  is 
accepted. — 

In  conclusion  :  a  request  for  your  kind  forgiveness,  if 
I  presume  herewith  to  send  you  such  a  hasty — almost 
slovenly,  letter ;  I  hope  you  will  forgive  me,  in  remem- 
brance of  the  "  amusement "  which  I  afforded  you  in 
my  youth,  when  in  a  certain  "  situation  "  I  ran  along  by 
the  side  of  a  certain  carriage.  If  you  will  manifest  your 
forgiveness  by  a  few  lines,  it  only  remains  for  me  to 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  437 

beseech  you  to  be  assured  of  my  most  cordial  thanks 
for  your  interest  in  me. 

With  sincere  respect, 
Your  servant, 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 
PARIS.  25,  RUE  DU  HELDER,  March  iSth,  '41. 


2. 

MY  MOST  ESTEEMED  HERR  HEINE, 

It  would  indeed  have  given  me  immeasurable 
pleasure  to  have  been  fortunate  enough  to  receive  a 
few  lines  from  your  valued  hand,  informing  me  whether 
you  justify  me  or  not  in  presupposing  your  sympathy 
for  me  and  my  interests.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  I 
know  through  our  friend  Kietz  that  at  first  you  had 
very  great  hindrances,  and  often,  unfortunately,  not 
of  the  pleasantest,  so  that  you  could  only  bestow 
scanty  communications  even  upon  him ;  and  as  Kietz 
moreover  assures  me  that  he  observes  how  kindly  and 
sympathetically  disposed  you  always  are  towards  me, 
I  therefore,  counting  on  this  your  favourable  inclination, 
forbear  to  woo  afresh  your  friendship,  and  only  wish 
most  ardently  that  I  may  not  outweary  it. — 

More  than  a  month  ago  I  received  the  desired  formal 
acceptation  of  my  opera,  on  the  part  of  the  general 
management  of  the  Dresden  Court  Theatre.  For  the 
hastening  on  of  this  decision  I  am  certainly  indebted 
chiefly  to  the  instigation  of  Councillor  W.,  whom,  by 
an  unimportant  counter-service,  I  have  been  enabled  to 
win  over  to  my  interests.  It  is,  however,  obvious  tha 
even  W.  could  not  have  given  so  fortunate  a  turn  to 


this  decision  had  not  the  votes  of  Reissiger  and  other 
authorities  concerned  in  the  musical  question  been  given 
in  my  favour.  Reissiger,  who  had  already  expressed  to 
me  by  letter  his  honest  intentions  towards  me,  has  put 
me  under  endless  obligation  to  him.  What  deep  apologies 
have  I  to  make  to  him,  to  you,  and  even  to  myself,  for 
the  doubt  which  I  expressed  about  his  unselfish  and 
liberal  intentions,  a  doubt  which  could  only  arise  in  me 
through  my  complete  ignorance  of  what  it  was  proposed 
to  do  in  Dresden  with  my  opera  !  Heaven  be  praised  I 
Everything  hitherto  has  shaped  itself  according  to  my 
wishes ;  for  only  in  the  past  few  days  I  received  the 
consent  to  my  last  desire,  namely,  the  wish  that  my 
opera  should  be  put  on  the  stage  immediately,  after 
the  appearance  of  the  new  opera  by  Reissiger.  Thus 
I  have  reason  to  hope  that  Rienzi  will  appear  on  the 
Dresden  boards  the  end  of  this  or  beginning  of  next 
year ;  at  length  a  long-awaited,  gracious  prospect ! — 

The  most  important  thing  which  now  remains  to  be 
kept  alert  is,  without  doubt,  the  good-feeling  of  the 
noble  Schroder-Devrient ;  of  what  nameless  weight  is 
this  to  me  !  I  have  just  written  to  her,  as  well  as  to 
Herr  Tichatschek.  May  my  good  angel  make  and 
maintain  both  these  persons  well  disposed  towards  me  ! 
Everything  depends  upon  this  ;  and  if  you,  my  dear 
Herr  Heine,  hold  me  worthy  of  some  effort,  you  would 
render  me  a  priceless  service  if  you  would  exert  your 
utmost  friendly  influence  with  these  two  celebrities 
in  my  favour. 

I  am  now  most  eager  to  know  whether  the  manage- 
ment will  soon  think  of  making  preparations  for  the 
scenic  equipment  of  my  opera.  As  Herr  von  Liittichau 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  439 

wrote  me,  that  only  after  most  careful  previous  exami- 
nation of  the  book  and  score  had  he  given  his  consent 
to  the  production  of  my  opera,  so  I  cannot  entertain 
a  doubt  but  what  he  is  fully  acquainted  with  the  heavy 
expenditure  which  its  equipment  essentially  demands. 
Moreover,  as  I  have  never  omitted  to  draw  his  special 
attention  to  this  point,  I  therefore  feel  confident  that  it 
has  already  been  decided  that  it  shall  want  for  nothing. 
In  this,  my  best  Herr  Heine,  you  are  the  most  impor- 
tant man,  and  with  all  insistence  I  therefore  beg  you  to 
bestow  on  me  your  whole  good-will.  As  soon  then  as 
the  time  of  production  of  Reissiger's  opera  approaches, 
I  shall  send  you  a  detailed  memorandum,  containing 
all  my  ideas  and  wishes  with  regard  to  decoration, 
costume,  and  arrangement,  as  well  as  what  concerns 
the  musical  mise  en  scene. — Meanwhile  Kietz  has  already 
offered,  should  you  approve,  to  jot  down  here  and  there 
a  sketch  and  send  it  to  you.  Ah  !  if  I  could  only  get 
to  hear  something,  and  that  right  soon. 

Kictz,  as  you  know,  is  about  leaving  Paris.  He  is 
always  complaining — but  has  certainly  no  right  to  do  so; 
if  he  will  only  give  himself  the  trouble,  he  can  quite  easily 
maintain  himself  for  some  time  yet  by  work — he  has 
some  orders  now.  Besides,  if  he  must  leave  Paris,  he 
can  do  it  with  the  consoling  conviction  that  he  carries 
away  with  him  a  good  slice  of  what  he  has  learnt  here  ; 
even  though  the  proof  of  this  should  consist  in  nothing 
beyond  the  oil-portrait  of  Anna  Zecher,  to  which  he 
can  certainly  point  with  pride.  In  this  painting,  I  was 
less  struck  at  rinding  Kietz'  unrestrained  conception 
of  a  subject  again  displayed,  in  a  sphere  as  yet  so  little 
trodden  by  him  ;  but  the  thing  that  most  surprised  me 


440  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

was  that  he  could  so  quickly  become  familiar  with  colour 
and  the  brush,  that  in  the  matter  of  execution  it  is 
scarcely  possible  to  detect  the  novice. — He  has  a 
delightful  talent  and  a  splendid  sensibility — I  should 
like  to  write  much  more  to  you  about  him,  if  my  space 
had  not  unfortunately  come  to  an  end ;  for  I  confess 
that,  purely  out  of  consideration  for  yourself,  I  had  no 
intention  this  time  of  writing  you  a  long  letter.  Let 
me  therefore  with  a  brief  sigh  return  to  myself,  and 
beg  you  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart  never  to 
withdraw  from  me  your  friendly  sympathy.  In  return 
I  may  assure  you,  that  it  is  my  greatest  pleasure  to  be 
thankful !  With  the  best  wishes  for  your  prosperity, 
I  commend  myself  most  thankfully  and  respectfully  as 

Your  most  obliged 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

MEUDON,  September  "]th,  '41. 

P.S. — Would  you  have  the  great  kindness  to  forward 
the  enclosed  letter  to  its  address  ?     R.  W. 

3- 
ESTEEMED  HERR  HEINE  ! 

There  is  nothing  else  for  it — I  must  be  as  great 
a  burden  as  possible  to  you  !  About  a  month  ago  I 
took  again  the  liberty  to  write  you,  and  to  load  you 
with  various  requests  ;  and  without  waiting  to  see  how 
you  receive  that  letter,  I  feel  constrained  to  take  your 
forbearance  once  more  by  storm.  Will  you  be  able  to 
forgive  me  ? — I  seek  and  seek  for  any  possible  pretext 
that  might  give  me  even  a  shadow  of  right  to  lay  such 
claim  to  you  and  to  your  kindness,  as  in  a  certain 
measure  I  feel  compelled  to  do  !  I  find  nothing,  unless 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  44! 

perchance  it  be  the  right  of  old  family  friendship,  which 
I  here  might  seek  to  bring  into  force.  You  were  the 
friend  of  my  family,  of  my  departed  father.  You  are 
entwined  in  the  earliest  recollections  of  my  youth,  and 
friend  Heine  appears  to  me  so  intimate,  so  long 
familiar  a  name,  that  it  seems  to  me  at  times  as  though 
I  needed  no  far-fetched  excuses  to  lay  claim  to  a 
friendship  on  which — as  I,  alas  !  must  tell  myself  in 
sober  moments — I  cannot  have  the  slightest  right  to 
count  by  reason  of  my  own  deserts. 

In  such  moments,  however,  my  friend  Kietz  con- 
soles me ;  for  without  ceasing  he  assures  me  that  all 
considerations  for  and  against  go  for  nothing  with  you 
— that  wherever  your  powers  permit  you  to  be  useful 
you  gladly  offer  your  assistance,  without  any  great 
questioning  "  for  whom  ?  " — and,  further,  that  he  him- 
self has  often  written  you  about  me,  petitioning  you  on 
my  behalf,  so  that  I  may  well  venture  to  throw  myself 
directly  on  your  kindness  and  good-nature,  confident  at 
the  least  of  not  meeting  with  a  bad  reception.  There- 
fore, as  I  have  often  ventured  much  before,  neither  will 
I  now  lose  courage,  but  act  as  though  I  were  really 
turning  to  a  Friend.  I  hope  one  day  to  yet  acquire  the 
right  to  call  you  by  this  name. 

This,  my  dear  Herr  Heine,  is  what  I  so  need  at  the  pre- 
sent time  in  Dresden—  a  friend  personally  disinterested 
in  my  affair.  In  spite  of  my  relations  with  Councillor  W., 
which  (thanks  to  the  existence  of  the  Abend  Zeitung  /) 
are  pretty  frequent,  I  still  lack  news  about  the  state  of 
my  Dresden  project.  Winkler's  news,  of  course,  is 
always  of  so  official  a  character  that  the  chief  matter, 
itself  is  only  given  me  in  a  short  and  cursory  way, 


44 2  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

while  many  incidental  things,  often  of  great  importance, 
are  scarcely  ever  mentioned.  Thus,  the  last  letter  of 
W.  certainly  gives  me  the  good  piece  of  news  that 
Herr  v.  Liittichau  has  definitely  consented  to  my  opera 
being  put  on  the  stage  after  Reissiger's.  That  is  all 
very  good ;  but  how  many  questions  does  not  this 
answer  suggest  !  For  instance  :  does  the  general 
management  propose  to  place  my  work  upon  the  stage 
with  the  outlay  indispensable  to  a  brilliant  effect  ?  On 
this  point  W.  writes  me :  "  The  general  management  will 
leave  nothing  undone  to  equip  your  opera  in  a  suitable 
manner."  You  will  understand  how  terribly  terse  this 
seems  to  me  !  I  am  not  greatly  surprised  at  receiving 
no  letter  from  Reissiger  since  last  March :  he  has 
worked  for  me, — that  is  the  best  and  most  honourable 
answer;  besides,  it  would  be  foolish  on  my  part  to 
expect  that  Reissiger,  now  that  his  own  opera  must  be 
fairly  engrossing  his  attention,  should  be  much  occupied 
about  me. — But  what  alarms  me  is  the  absolute  silence 
of  our  Devrient !  I  think  I  have  already  written  a 
dozen  letters  to  her  :  I  am  not  exactly  surprised  at  her 
sending  me  no  single  line  in  answer,  because  one  knows 
how  terrible  a  thing  letter-writing  is  to  many  people. 
But  that  she  has  never  even  indirectly  sent  me  a  word, 
nor  let  me  have  a  hint,  makes  me  downright  uneasy. 
Good  heavens  !  So  much  depends  upon  her — it  would 
really  be  a  mere  humanity  on  her  part  if  she,  perhaps 
through  her  lady's-maid,  had  sent  me  a  message  to  this 
effect :  "  Make  your  mind  easy  !  I  am  taking  an  interest 
in  your  affair ! " — Certainly  everything  which  I  have 
learnt  here  and  there  about  her  behaviour  with  regard 
to  me  gives  me  ever}'  reason  to  feel  comfortable ;  for 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  443 

instance,  she  is  said  to  have  declared  some  while  ago  in 
Leipzig  that  she  hoped  my  opera  would  be  brought  out 
in  Dresden.  This  token  would  have  fully  quieted  me, 
if  it  had  only  come  directly  to  my  ears  or  eyes  :  hearsay, 
however,  is  far  too  uncertain  a  thing. — 

A  month  ago  I  likewise  wrote  to  her,  and  earnestly 
begged  her  to  let  me  have  only  a  line  with  the  name  of 
the  lady  singer  whom  she  would  like  to  be  cast  for  the 
part  of  Irene,  so  that  I  might  make  a  formal  list  to 
propose  to  the  management.  No  answer ! — Oh,  my 
best  Herr  Heine,  if  your  kindness  would  only  allow 
you  a  few  words  in  which  to  make  me  acquainted  with 
the  intentions  of  the  adored  Devrient !  Does  she  really 
wish  to  sing  in  my  opera  ? — That  is  the  question. — 

Good  heavens  !  only  to  know  how  all  this  stands  ! 
I  have  written  to  Herr  Tichatschek,  and  commended 
myself  to  his  amiability  :  shall  I  be  able  to  count  on  this 
gentleman  ? 

I  have  written  to  Herr  Fischer, — to-day  I  send  off 
a  second,  more  circumstantial,  letter  to  him.  Can 
I  count  upon  his  kindness,  on  his  so  exceptionally 
weighty  help  ? 

And  lastly — is  my  opera  being  seriously  thought  of? 
Have  the  preparations,  the  costs  of  its  equipment,  been 
pondered  over  ?  I  do  not  indeed  yet  know  whether 
Reissiger's  opera  has  already  appeared ;  should  this 
still  not  have  happened,  I  see  right  well  that,  for 
the  moment,  there  can  be  no  material  thought  of  pre- 
paring for  my  opera.  Meanwhile,  unless  they  look  on 
Rienzi  as  an  easy  burden,  they  must  already  have 
pretty  well  made  up  their  minds  in  advance  as  to  how 
they  intend  to  deal  with  it.  And  that's  the  very  point 


444  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

I  am  so  anxious  to  see  cleared  up.  If  they  merely 
treat  Rienzi  as  an  opera  about  which  one  asks,  a  few 
days  before  the  performance,  "  What  shall  we  get  put 
together  for  this  ? "  I  should  consider  it  a  grave  mis- 
fortune. On  the  contrary,  I  have  counted  on  the 
probability  that  the  direction  would  regard  an  opera 
which  is  calculated  throughout  for  the  grandest  and 
most  sumptuous  proportions  as  an  appropriate  oppor- 
tunity to  show  off  the  new  theatre  in  all  its  splendour. 
As  you,  dear  Herr  Heine,  will  take  a  principal  part  in 
the  solution  of  this  question,  I  herewith  apply  to  the 
man  best  fitted  to  give  me  information  on  the  point.  I 
therefore  pray  you  most  earnestly  for  an  answer. — 

Concerning  the  cast  of  the  chief  characters  in  the 
tragic  pantomime  in  the  second  Act  of  my  opera,  I  am 
writing  too  to-day  to  Herr  Fischer  :  to  correspond  to 
my  intention  they  must  be  represented  by  members  of 
the  comedy-troupe  who  are  accustomed  to  play  similar 
parts  in  spoken  drama.  It  will  be  a  troublesome 
matter  to  carry  this  through,  and  yet  it  must  be  done 
if  the  pantomime  is  to  produce  the  desired  imposing 
effect. — 

Enough  !  What  should  I  not  have  to  call  to  mind, 
and  what  to  ask,  were  I  to  pour  out  all  that  I  have  at 
heart !  If  you  are  willing,  dear  Herr  Heine,  to  put  my 
thankfulness  to  the  venture,  you  will  have  the  infinite 
kindness  to  give  me  the  longed-for  answer  to  the  ques- 
tions I  here  ask,  and  to  tell  me  whatever  else  you  may 
consider  of  importance.  If  you  would  only  put  yourself 
a  little  in  my  situation,  you  could  easily  picture  to 
yourself  how  greatly  you  would  oblige  me  by  satisfying 
my  request.  If  your  certainly  overloaded  occupations 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  445 

allow  you  before  long  to  dispose  of  a  free  hour,  I 
beseech  you  to  devote  that  hour  to  me :  right  willingly 
shall  I  be  ready  to  give  you  up  whole  days  of  my  own 
life,  if  ever  I  could  be  persuaded  that  they  would  be  of 
any  value  to  you  ! 

My  humble  regards  to  Mad.  Devrient.  I  hesitate  as 
to  whether  I  should  write  to  her  again  to-day.  Good 
heavens  !  what  could  I  write  to  her,  except  the  same 
thing  as  ever — ever  the  same  thing  !  Must  I  not  be 
afraid  of  seriously  wearying  her  ? — 

Kietz  is  very  soon  coming  to  you.  He  is  an  ex- 
cellent fellow,  and  very  dear  to  me ;  he  will  certainly 
always  get  on  well,  for  no  one  can  help  being  kind 
to  him. 

By  this  letter  I  have  indeed  loaded  myself  with  a 
fresh  debt :  so  please  have  confidence  in  me  and  my 
integrity ! 

With  the  most  heartfelt  respect  and  devotion, 

Your  most  thankful  and  obliged  servant, 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

MEUDO.V,  October  i^f/i,  '41. 

P.S. — If  you  should  find  time,  or  feel  inclined,  to 
honour  me  with  a  letter  before  the  25th  of  this  month, 
it  will  reach  me  at  No.  3,  Avenue  de  Meudon,  a  Meudon, 
pres  Paris.  After  that  time  you  must  please  be  kind 
enough  to  address  as  follows  :  No.  14,  Rue  Jacob,  a  Part's. 

4- 
MY  MOST  HONOURED  SIR  AXD  FRIEND, 

You  are  silent,  Herr  Fischer  is  silent — and  I 
almost  fear  that  silence  would  reign  everywhere,  if  I 
did  not  write  notices  in  the  Abend  Zeitung,  and  report 


446  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

French  comedies  !  What  you  would  have  had  to 
announce  to  me  is,  however,  as  I  now  perceive  (thanks 
to  the  Abend  Zeitung  and  Councillor  W.),  so  far  from 
pleasant,  that  I  can  easily  understand  that  you  are 
silent  out  of  consideration  for  me.  I,  fool  that  I  am, 
was  only  anxious  as  to  how  Herr  Fischer  would  receive 
my  last  letter  with  all  its  propositions,  and  about  the 
trouble  and  care  which  I  was  occasioning  to  him  and 
to  my  friends ;  but  now  I  must  learn  that  there  is 
no  present  question  of  trouble  and  care,  that  not  a 
breath  of  thought  is  given  to  my  opera,  and  that  for 
this  I  have  to  thank — a  whim  of  my  high  patroness 
Mad.  Schroder-Devrient,  who  yet  had  only  lately 
assured  me,  through  you  and  through  my  Leipzig 
relatives,  that  she  had  at  heart  the  ultimate  perform- 
ance of  my  opera,  and  that  she  would  joyfully  do 
for  it  all  she  could  !  I  confess  that  this  came  upon 
me  like  a  thunderbolt ; — I  had  accustomed  myself  to 
await  the  performance  of  Guitarrero,  to  watch  the 
•"  star  "  of  Pixis ;  but  that  it  should  suddenly  occur  to 
Devrient  to  wish  to  sing  Armida,  and  forsooth  before 
my  opera — that,  in  truth,  I  had  not  expected.  Herr  W. 
merely  writes  me  that  it  is  decided,  for  the  sake  of 
Mad.  Devrient,  to  put  Armida  on  the  stage  early  in 
February;  but  after  that  would  come  my  Rienzi,  so  that 
it  could  still  be  given  before  Easter.  Now,  if  everything 
goes  off  well  and  quickly,  I  might  not  have  much  to  say 
against  it ;  but  if  it  should  occur  to  any  "  star  "  or  other 
to  come  across  my  path,  or  if  one  thing  succeeds  another 
with  the  customary  slow  progression,  so  that  my  opera 
does  not  come  out  before  Easter, — I  see  beforehand, 
with  sad  certainty,  that  the  word  will  then  be :  "  It 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  447 

is  too  late  now !  Next  winter ! "  But  if  you  or  any 
other  person  exactly  realized  how  my  whole  situation, 
all  my  plans,  and  all  my  resolutions  were  destroyed  by 
such  procrastination,  some  pity  would  be  surely  shown 
me. 

Should  it  really  come  to  this,  that  my  opera  must  be 
laid  aside  for  the  whole  winter,  I  should  indeed  be 
inconsolable ;  and  he  or  she  who  might  be  to  blame  for 
this  delay  would  have  incurred  a  grave  responsibility 
—perhaps  for  causing  me  untold  sufferings.  I  cannot 
write  to  Mad.  Devrient ;  for  that  I  am  much  too  excited, 
and  I  know  too  well  that  my  letters  make  no  impression 
upon  her.  But  if  I  have  not  yet  worn  out  your  friendly 
feeling  toward  me,  and  if  I  can  be  assured  that  you 
rely  upon  my  fullest  gratitude,  I  earnestly  beg  of  you 
to  go  to  Mad.  Devrient.  Tell  her  of  my  astonishment 
at  the  news  that  it  is  she  who  hinders  my  opera 
from  at  length  appearing;  and  that  I  am  in  the 
highest  degree  disturbed  to  learn  that  she  by  no 
means  feels  that  pleasure  in  and  sympathy  for  my 
work  which  so  many  flattering  assurances  had  led  me 
to  believe.  Give  her  an  inkling  of  the  misery  she  would 
prepare  for  me,  if  (as  I  now  have  good  reason  to  fear) 
a  performance  of  Rienzi  could  not  after  all  take  place 
this  year  ! — But,  what  am  I  saying  ?  Though  you  may 
be  the  most  approved  friend  of  Mad.  Devrient,  even 
you  will  not  have  much  influence  over  her.  Therefore, 
I  do  not  know  at  all  what  I  should  say,  what  I  must 
do,  or  what  advise !  My  one  great  hope  I  place  in 
you,  most  valued  friend  ! — I  have  written  to  Herr  v. 
Liittichau,  and  herewith  turn  to  Rcissiger.  If  Devrient 
cannot  give  up  her  Armida,  if  she  cannot  accord  me  the 


448  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

sacrifice  of  a  whim,  then  all  my  welfare  rests  only  on 
the  promptness  with  which  this  opera  is  brought  out, 
and  my  own  is  taken  up.  I  therefore  fervently  pray 
Reissiger  to  hurry:  and  }-ou — I  beseech  you — do  the 
same  with  Devrient. — By  punctuality  and  diligence 
everything  can  still  be  set  right  for  me  ;  for  the  chief 
thing  is — only  that  my  opera  should  come  out  before 
Easter  (that  is  to  say,  in  the  first  half  of  March).  I 
am  truly  quite  exhausted  !  Alas  !  I  meet  with  so  little 
that  is  encouraging,  that  it  would  really  be  of  untold 
import  to  me,  if  at  least  in  Dresden  things  should  go 
according  to  my  wish  ! 

Only  write  to  me — yes,  at  once — my  honoured  friend, 
and  in  your  generosity  do  not  again  go  so  far  as  to  frank 
your  letter :  by  that  you  put  me  to  cruel  shame  !  On 
the  contrary,  if  you  found  matter  to  devote  a  few  lines 
to  me  every  week,  I  would  willingly  pay  for  them  in  their 
weight  of  gold — however  poor  I  am. — 

A  thousand  cordial  greetings  to  Herr  Fischer !  How 
has  he  received  my  letter  and  proposals  ?  Please  give 
him  my  warmest  thanks  ! — 

And  thanks,  thanks  to  you  !  Remain  kind  and 
friendly  to  me,  and  God  grant  that  I  may  some  day 
give  you  gladness.  From  my  whole  heart 

Your  faithfully  devoted 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

PARIS.  14,  RUE  JACOB,  January  $th,  '42. 

Kindly  transmit  enclosed  note  through  the  town-post. 

5- 

Your  kind  letter  I  received  six  days  ago  through 
Herr  Lewy :  so  you  will  understand  why  it  remained 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  449 

unanswered.  After  all  that  has  now  taken  place,  I 
have  to-day  only  to  answer  the  point  concerning  Frau 
von  Weber.  What  I  have  learnt  concerning  W.,  by  this 
occasion,  shows  me  afresh  how  these  ambiguous  people 
are  often  more  honourable  and  better  than  one  some- 
times feels  tempted  to  consider  them.  Immediately 
upon  the  first  news  of  the  performance  ofDer  Freischutz 
here,  he  inquired  of  me  whether  anything  could  be  done 
for  Weber  s  widow  ?  At  first  I  did  not  see  much  hope, 
but  I  went  to  Fillet  (the  Director  of  the  Opera)  and 
explained  the  state  of  affairs  :  he  was  surprised,  and 
gave  me  the  hope  that  he  would  not  be  unwilling  to 
give  a  benefit  performance  in  favour  of  Weber's  heirs. 
I  announced  this  to  W.  in  all  haste,  and  pressed  him 
to  urge  Mad.  Weber  to  write  to  Fillet.  Then  I  re- 
mained— I  think  quite  six  weeks — without  news,  and 
so  in  astonishment  wrote  to  W.  He  answered  me, 
that  he  perceived  from  my  letter  how  for  the  first  time 
in  his  life  a  letter  of  his  must  have  gone  astray :  that  he 
and  Frau  v.  Weber  had  written  at  once.  Thereupon  I 
begged  him,  as  that  letter  had  certainly  not  reached  me, 
to  write  once  more ;  which  he  accordingly  did  by  return. 
The  enclosed  letter  from  Frau  v.  Weber  I  at  once 
forwarded  through  Berlioz  to  Fillet,  pressing  the  former 
into  the  service  as  a  suitable  and  useful  confederate. 
Then  Fillet  answered  that  he  had  already  received  a 
similar  letter.  (How  that  fits  in,  I  cannot  conceive  !) 
He  added  that  he  was  ready  to  give  the  benefit,  only  for 
the  moment  had  to  struggle  with  pecuniary  difficulties, 
etc.  In  order  to  put  more  fire  into  the  matter,  I  got  W. 
to  invite  Frau  v.  Weber  to  write  to  Schlesinger; — that 
also  was  done  at  once,  and  the  letter  was  quickly 

29 


450  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

attended  to  by  me.  Schlesinger  was  highly  flattered 
by  the  confidence  of  Frau  v.  Weber,  and  promised 
zealously  to  urge  on  the  matter ;  so  it  is  not  his  fault  if 
up  to  now  no  step  has  been  taken.  The  new  opera 
by  Hale'vy  stops  the  way.  Schlesinger  has,  however, 
promised  to  make  use  of  the  first  pause  to  bring  his 
energy  to  bear — for  which  he  is  the  very  man  :  he  has 
influence,  and  gives  up  nothing  which  he  has  once 
begun. — But,  to  speak  frankly,  I  nevertheless  see  no 
prospect  of  the  desired  result  : — the  best  moment  has 
been  missed,  and  this  was  in  the  first  month  after  the 
first  performance  of  Der  Freischutz.  The  fourth  to 
the  ninth  representations  were  those  that  enlisted  the 
sympathy  of  the  public  here:  after  these  the  perform- 
ances became  villainous,  and  were,  moreover,  but  few 
in  number.  For  that  reason  I  anxiously  waited  then 
for  a  letter  :  as  this  got  lost  (as  I  certainly  do  not  doubt) 
and  the  second  came  so  late — after  the  favourable 
moment — it  was  really  already  too  late  for  the  whole 
affair.  Meanwhile,  we  do  not  despair  :  wonders  happen 
in  Paris,  and  the  immortal  Freisdiiif-,  after  so  many 
mortal  apparitions,  may  easily  be  recalled  to  life,  and 
for  this  contingency  all  measures  are  taken. — My  most 
respectful  greetings  to  Frau  v.  Weber ! 

Herr  Lewy  will  himself  shortly  give  you  news  of  his 
journey  : — here  he  has  only  blown  his  horn  at  the  Court, 
in  the  concert  of  the  Due  cTOrle'ans. — Unfortunately 
we  have  not  often  seen  each  other.  Also  I  have  not 
been  able  to  show  him  any  particularly  great  service  : 
however,  we  have  made  friends  with  one  another,  and 
appear  to  be  mutually  satisfied. 

In  order  not  to  commence  a  fresh  page,  and  to  compel 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  45  I 

myself  at  last  to  bring  this  long  letter  to  a  close,  I  write 
on  the  margin  ;  your  patience  will  also  have  got  already 
to  the  edge.  Therefore  only  this — so  far  as  it  can  be 
done  with  words  and  strokes  of  the  pen— my  thanks  ! 
How  quickly  this  word  is  said,  and  yet  how  much  it 
takes  to  worthily  fulfil  it !  Shall  I  ever  get  so  far  ? 
Ah  !  if  only  a  deep,  strong  will  sufficed !  My  dear 
friend,  you  show  your  kindness  to  me,  not  surely  to 
gain  thanks,  still  less  reward — for  could  the  first 
flatter,  the  second  satisfy  you,  you  should  certainly  have 
bestowed  your  friendship  on  another ! — Yet,  I  hope 
from  the  future  !  May  it  be  favourable  to  you,  and 
preserve  your  dear  family  in  wellbeing — then  has  it  been 
a  powerful  help  to  me  !  Farewell,  and  be  assured  of 
the  most  faithful  heart  of 

Your  devoted 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

PARIS,  14,  RUE  JACOB,  January  iSth,  '42. 

6. 

MOST  HONOURED  FRIEND, 

I  hope  Herr  Fischer  has  shown  you  my  last 
letter  to  him  :  for  the  chief  part  of  it  was  at  the  same 
time  addressed  to  you,  and  I  therefore  considered  it 
unnecessary,  and  perhaps  wearisome,  to  write  also  to 
you  in  particular.  You  will  have  perceived  from  that 
letter  my  state  of  mind  with  regard  to  the  fresh  great 
adjournment  of  the  performance  of  my  opera.  The 
manner  in  which  Herr  Fischer  informed  me  of  this 
excessively  unpleasant  decision  was  so  convincing  to 
me,  and  at  the  same  time  it  so  clearly  expressed  a  warm 
interest  for  the  success  of  my  work,  that  I  must  have 


452  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

been  more  than  a  fool  if  I  had  chosen  to  reject  the 
reasons  assigned.  On  the  contrary,  I  owe  my  fullest 
thanks  to  all  who  under  such  circumstances  pressed  for 
a  delay ;  and  for  this  fresh  proof  of  friendly  intention, 
I  should  like  to  be  able  right  soon  to  manifest  my 
deepest  gratitude.-- 

In  any  case,  my  worthy  friend,  I  hope  to  see  you 
shortly :  I  cannot  endure  Paris  any  more,  and  I  pant 
for  German  soil.  At  the  same  time,  the  not  altogether 
satisfactory  state  of  my  wife's  health  makes  it  my  duty 
to  conduct  her  this  summer  to  the  Teplitz  baths,  which 
have  been  so  universally  recommended  to  her.  Thus, 
all  things  taken  together,  I  am  anxious  to  stay  somewhere 
more  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Dresden  ;  for  however 
little  weight  I  may  ascribe  to  my  personal  influence  in 
my  affair,  yet  it  will  be  a  great  comfort  to  me  to  be 
nearer  to  the  whole  thing.  I  hope,  however,  that  the 
last  resolve,  to  put  my  opera  into  rehearsal  immediately 
after  the  return  of  Devrient,  will  be  adhered  to  !  And  on 
this  supposition  I  venture  to  assume  that  many  things 
will  now  be  quietly  attended  to,  which  may  render  the 
work  easier  later  on  ? — Meanwhile,  there  is  no  necessity 
for  me  to  touch  further  on  all  these  matters — before  the 
proper  time  approaches,  I  shall  have  seen  you,  and 
discussed  everything  with  you  by  word  of  mouth. 

How  is  your  valued  family,  dear  Herr  Heine  ?  We 
take  for  granted  that  the  evil  demon  of  sickness  has 
vanished  from  your  hearth,  and  that  little  Marie  is  fully 
restored  to  health. — Friend  Kietz,  whose  voluminous 
letter  I  have  to  thank  for  the  enclosure  of  these  lines, 
will  probably  give  you  much  and  sundry  news  about 
himself:  Delaroche's  portrait  shines  at  the  exhibition 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  453 

since  yesterday — may  it  only  prove  of  some  use  to  the 
poor  fellow !  We  must  have  a  good  talk  about  him 
and  his  interests,  when  we  sit  together  in  Dresden  : 
his  position  is  none  of  the  best ;  and,  considering  how 
hard  he  is  now  put  to  it,  it  would  be  far  better  for  him 
to  be  in  Germany  again.  However,  he  does  not  wish 
to  return  until  he  has  somewhat  perfected  himself  in 
this  and  that — in  which  he  is  right ;  but  without  money 
he  can  accomplish  neither  the  one  thing  nor  the  other. — 

I  am  very  uneasy  about  Reissiger :  I  have  sent  him 
a  number  of  letters,  but  he  has  not  answered  a  single 
word. — I  sent  to  him  and  Herr  Lewy  a  copy  of  the 
Gazette  Musicale,  in  which  I  had  managed  to  get  in  a 
reclame  about  them  both ; — I  presumed  that  would  not 
displease  Reissiger,  and  would  perhaps  force  him  to 
show  a  sign  of  life.  However,  he  remains  stone-dead  ! 

As  to  yourself,  only  remain  alive  and  warm  to  me, 
and  Heaven  grant  you  some  little  rest  for  your  refresh- 
ment ;  perhaps  near  you  I  too  might  then  partake 
thereof.  Councillor  W.  wrote  me  lately :  "  Every 
one  is  rushing  away  from  here — Devrient  goes  to  St. 
Petersburg,  Frau  Schroder  to  Berlin,  etc.  Would  that 
one  could  take  flight  too  !  I  think  of  taking  mine  to  Upper 
Italy  next  May  ! "  (The  Flying  Councillor  strikes  me 
as  very  comical.) — 

So  I  will  fly  to  Saxony,  and — selfishly  enough  ! — I 
only  hope  that  you  may  not  fly  away  from  there  before 
me. — 

Cordial  greeting  to  Herr  Fischer,  and  a  thousand 
good  wishes  for  your  prosperity  from  your  grateful 
friend, 

PARIS,  March  l6th,  '42.  RlCHARD    WAGNER. 


454  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 


MY  MOST  ESTEEMED  FRIEND, 

For  Heaven's  sake  do  not  be  angry  with  me,  if 
I  torture  you  with  these  lines  !  But  you  will  readily 
understand  the  uneasiness  which  drives  me  to  this 
step  ;  and  therefore,  relying  on  your  indulgent  forgive- 
ness, I  burst  on  you  with  a  question  and  a  request  that 
come  from  my  very  heart. — More  than  a  week  ago  I 
wrote  to  our  excellent  friend  Herr  Fischer,  and  begged 
him  to  send  me  a  few  brief  lines  to  let  me  know  if 
Mad.  Devrient  and  Tichatschek  were  already  back, 
and  whether,  in  consequence,  the  parts  of  my  opera 
were  given  out  ?  I  could  have  received  an  answer  as 
early  as  last  Monday,  and  as  up  to  to-day  I  have 
waited  in  vain  for  one,  you  can  easily  imagine  that  I 
am  not  a  little  disquieted  by  it ;  for  I  must  necessarily 
conclude  from  Herr  Fischer's  silence  that  he  has 
nothing  consoling  to  announce  to  me.  Notwithstand- 
ing this,  and  as  there  is  nothing  more  painful  than 
uncertainty,  I  am  most  anxious  to  learn  definitely  how 
matters  stand  with  my  opera ;  for  if  everything  is  in  a 
fair  way,  I  do  not  see  why  I  should  cause  desolation  to 
my  Dresden  friends,  by  burdening  them  with  my  tor- 
menting self  before  the  end  of  this  month  ; — but  should  I 
learn  that  through  my  personal  presence  I  could  in  any 
way  be  of  advantage  to  my  cause  in  Dresden,  I  would, 
nevertheless,  not  stop  a  day  longer  here.  Therefore  I 
entreat  you,  my  most  excellent  friend,  to  have  the  great 
kindness  to  write  me  this  moment  how  matters  stand. 
No  doubt  I  cause  you  some  expense  (which  I  beg  you 
at  any  rate  to  charge  to  me)  by  writing  on  this  letter, 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  455 

"  To  be  delivered  immediately  ; "  but  please  do  the  same, 
and  very  large  and  clear,  on  the  letter  which  I  am  await- 
ing ;  for  to  my  horror  I  have  observed  that  otherwise 
a  letter  lies  for  more  than  twelve  hours  at  the  post,  so 
that  I  only  receive  letters  here  the  third  day  after  they 
have  been  posted  at  Dresden.  You  see  how  I  am 
tormented  by  unrest,  and  of  your  philanthropy  I  there- 
fore hope  that  you  will  not  leave  me  long  to  pine.  Here 
I  neither  see  nor  hear  the  smallest  atom  of  what  is 
going  on  in  the  world,  whereby  I  am  certainly  becoming 
somewhat  fanciful.  So  listen  to  my  prayer  ! 

Please  give  right  hearty  greetings  from  me  and  my 
wife — who  commends  herself  in  the  most  devoted 
manner  to  you — to  the  most  esteemed  Mad.  Heine, 
and  assure  her  how  much  we  rejoice  at  the  thought 
of  sitting  again  with  you  in  your  garden  ; — give  my 
thankful  greetings  to  Herr  Fischer,  and  remain  well 
disposed  to 

Your  ever-devoted 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

"ZUR  ElCHE,"  SCHONAU,   NEAR  TEPLITZ. 

8. 
FRAGMENT. 

[From  this  letter  forward,  Heine  is  addressed  in  the 
second  person  singular. — Tr.] 

DEAR  HEINE, 

When  I  wrote  my  Flying  Dutchman,  it  was  in 
the  firm  conviction  that  I  could  not  write  otherwise 
than  I  did  write.  The  raw  material — already  long 
known  to  me  from  the  work  of  your  namesake — 
acquired  for  me  on  my  famous  sea-voyage,  and  amid 


456  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

the  Norwegian  crags,  a  quite  peculiar  colour  and  indi- 
viduality, gloomy  no  doubt,  but  borrowed  from  the 
whispers  of  the  Nature  to  which  we  all  belong,  and  not 
from  the  speculations  of  a  gloom-sick  enthusiast.  But 
the  vast  wild  ocean,  with  its  broadcast  fables,  is  an 
element  that  does  not  willingly  and  obediently  permit 
itself  to  be  polished  down  to  fit  a  modern  opera ;  and 
the  whole  sea-blown  Saga  of  the  Flying  Dutchman — 
which  now  seized  my  fancy  so  completely  that  it  cla- 
moured to  me  for  artistic  reproduction — appeared  to 
need  an  utterly  dreadful  maiming  and  mutilation,  if 
it  were  to  be  forced  to  meet  the  requirements  of  a 
modern  opera-text,  with  its  piquant  suspenses  and 
surprises.  I  therefore  preferred  to  modify  the  material 
which  lay  to  my  hand  of  itself,  in  no  way  other  than 
the  progress  of  a  dramatic  plot  requires,  but  to  leave 
the  full  fragrance  of  the  old  tale  to  spread  itself  undis- 
turbed over  the  whole.  Thus  only  did  I  believe  that  I 
could  chain  the  audience  to  that  rare  mood  in  which — 
if  only  gifted  with  but  a  modicum  of  poetry — one 
even  wins  affection  for  the  gloomiest  of  Sagas.  It  was 
thus,  too,  that  I  fared  in  the  creation  of  my  music  :  in 
order  to  attain  my  object,  I  needed  not  to  look  around 
on  my  left  hand  and  my  right,  nor  to  make  the  slightest 
concession  to  modern  taste  ;  for  otherwise  I  should  have 
acted  not  only  inartistically,  but  also  unwisely.  The 
modern  division  into  Arias,  Duets,  Finales,  and  so  on  I 
had  at  once  to  give  up ;  and  in  their  stead  narrate  the  Saga 
in  one  breath,  just  as  should  be  done  in  a  good  poem.  In 
this  wise  I  brought  forth  an  opera,  of  which,  now  that 
it  has  been  performed,  I  cannot  conceive  how  it  could 
have  pleased.  For  in  its  every  external  feature  it  is  so 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  457 

completely  unlike  that  which  one  now  calls  opera,  that 
I  see  indeed  how  much  I  demanded  of  the  public, 
namely,  that  they  should  with  one  blow  disse\7er  them- 
selves from  all  that  which  had  hitherto  entertained  and 
appealed  to  them  in  the  theatre.  Yet  that  this  opera, 
not  only  in  Dresden,  but  especially  in  Cassel  and  in 
Riga,  has  gained  for  itself  so  man}7  friends,  and  even 
won  the  favour  of  the  larger  public,  appears  to  me  a 
finger-sign  pointing  to  show  us  that  we  must  only  write 
just  as  the  poetic  sense  inborn  in  our  German  hearts 
dictates,  never  making  the  least  concession  to  foreign 
modes,  and  simply  choosing  out  our  stuff  and  handling 
it  as  it  appeals  to  ourselves,  in  order  to  be  surest  to 
win  the  pleasure  of  our  fellow-countrymen.  In  this 
way  may  we  win  for  ourselves  once  more  a  German 
School  of  Original  Opera ;  and  all  who  despair  of  this, 
and  import  foreign  models,  may  take  an  example 
from  this  Dutchman,  which  certainly  is  so  conceived  as 
never  a  Frenchman  nor  Italian  would  have  dreamt  of 
conceiving  it. 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

9- 

Well,  my  good  Heine  !  how  are  you  then  ? 
I  have  received  some  news  of  you  ;  Miiller — who  has 
been  visiting  me — had  heard  a  great  deal  of  good  about 
your  performance,  and  I  have  also  read  your  lines  to 
my  sister-in-law.  You  are  going  to  recoup  yourself— 
that  is  capital — and  I  have  no  doubt  you  mean  it.  I 
shall  now  stay  in  the  country  until  the  end  ofjtily,  and 
am  therefore  counting  much  on  the  fulfilment  of  your 


458  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

promise  to  spend  a  week  with  me.  Believe  me,  that  I 
heartily  rejoice  at  the  thought  of  being  together  with  you 
so  long  as  that  under  God's  free  sky ;  and  that  I  now 
write  to  you  is  only  with  the  view  to  impress  upon  you 
your  promise,  and  strengthen  you  in  your  purpose. 

Well,  I  have  actually  managed  for  the  last  few  weeks 
to  abide  undisturbed  in  the  country — not  counting  the 
interruption  which  my  visit  to  Spohr  in  Leipzig  neces- 
sarily caused : — I  was  delighted  with  the  honourable, 
genuine  old  man ;  and  he  was  evidently  pleased  that  I 
had  accepted  his  invitation.  More  by  word  of  mouth  ! — 

The  aim  of  these  lines  is  fully  attained  if  I  soon  see 
you  with  me  !  And  Heaven  grant  that  they  find  you 
in  good  health  ! 

Best  greetings  to  your  folk  from  myself  and  Minna ! 
Fare  you  well,  and  come  soon  ! 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 
GROSS- GRAUPEN,  y»/v  6lh,  '46. 

IO. 

DEAREST  FRIEND! 

Now  at  last  to  you  !  News  from  you  comes  in 
but  seldom :  Koch  brought  the  last,  and  this  was,  to 
our  comfort,  fairly  good  ;  are  you  really  unable  to  write  ? 
I  have  still  not  given  up  the  idea  of  paying  you  a  visit, 
but  see  less  chance  than  ever  of  carrying  it  out,  as  I 
shall  have  to  take  a  little  conge  this  month,  in  order, 
at  Kiistner's  request,  to  view  by  eye  and  ear  the  two 
Berlin  tenors.  According  to  Koch's  latest  information, 
it  appears  that — reckoning  from  then — you  would  need 
six  weeks  longer  to  thoroughly  establish  the  cure,  but 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  459 

that  your  brother-in-law  was  perfectly  certain  that  you 
would  now  recover.  I  cannot  judge  how  far  this  will 
influence  your  future  position  as  actor  :  but  if  it  lengthens 
your  acting  career,  I  should  always  mournfully  deplore 
the  cause — though  certainly  not  the  effect.  If  we  all 
can  be  sure  that  in  the  event  of  a  declaration  of  your 
unfitness  for  active  work,  your  income — owing  to  the 
Royal  favour,  on  which  we  may  certainly  count,  and  to 
the  retention  of  your  position  as  Costumier — would  not 
be  materially  reduced,  then  I  can  only  wish  you  from 
the  bottom  of  my  heart  the  good-fortune  to  have  nothing 
more  to  do  with  the  actual  theatre  from  this  time  forth, 
but  to  look  forward  to  a  long  and  cheerful  evening  of 
your  life,  spent  in  the  enjoyment  of  science  and  true 
art.  I  have  such  deep  contempt  for  the  ruling  spirit 
of  our  Modern  Stage,  that — since  I  now  feel  I  cannot 
improve  it — I  have  no  more  ardent  wish  than  to  be 
in  a  position  to  cry  off  from  the  whole  thing ;  and  I 
consider  it  a  real  curse  that  my  whole  productive 
impulse  should  have  directed  itself  to  the  dramatic 
form,  for  in  the  wretched  condition  of  all  our  theatres 
I  can  but  see  the  thorough  mockery  of  my  endeavours. 
— Perhaps  you  have  already  heard  something  of  my 
having  definitely  broken  off  with  X.  about  three  weeks 
ago,  so  that,  on  my  side  at  least,  there  is  no  hope  what- 
ever of  a  reconciliation  :  G.  was  the  occasion  of  it.  The 
details  are  really  quite  a  matter  of  indifference  :  it  is 
the  old,  old  strife  of  knowledge  and  conviction,  as 
against  ignorance.  Agreement  is  not  to  be  thought 
of;  but  when  the  conflict  has  reached  such  a  pitch  as 
this  last,  even  a  modus  vivendi  is  out  of  the  question, 
and  so  I  adhere  to  my  fixed  resolve  to  put  an  end  to- 


460  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

the  matter.  However,  I  took  counsel  of  prudence,  and 
recognized  that  if  I  could  only  put  a  great  Berlin  success 
into  my  side  of  the  scale,  this  must  but  tell  in  my  favour. 
If  therefore  I  can  keep  X.  at  arm's-length  until  I  have 
won  that  advantage,  so  as  only  then  to  approach  the 
King,  I  should  much  prefer  it ;  but  if  before  that  he 
will  not  leave  me  in  peace — well,  this  step  must  be 
taken  sooner.  Naturally,  I  have  no  inclination  to  make 
a  great  sacrifice  of  my  pay  ;  but  if  there's  no  other  way 
I  must  put  up  with  even  that. — (Are  you  not  filled  with 
envy  to  play  a  part  in  this  long  comedy  also  ?) 

Now  to  more  satisfactory  news !  My  life  at  Mar- 
colini's  suits  me  well :— still  sound  in  health,  I  have 
now  finished  the  two  Acts  of  my  Lohengrin,  thus  ending 
the  composition  of  this  opera ;  and  am  glad  and  happy 
over  it,  for  I  am  pleased  with  my  work.  If  Rienzi  goes 
off  in  Berlin  as  well  as  I  hope,  Lohengrin  will  follow 
there  immediately  afterwards.  The  King  of  Prussia 
was  a  week  in  Pillnitz  (an  opportunity  of  which  L. 
unfortunately  made  no  use !).  The  former,  however, 
must  have  spoken  much  about  me  to  the  latter,  and 
probably  to  the  whole  Court — for  on  the  day  after  a 
great  banquet,  L.  rushed  into  town,  and  ordered  every- 
thing else  to  be  laid  aside,  and  Rienzi  at  once  put  again 
on  the  stage  (mind  you,  all  this  after  my  catastrophe). 
Last  Sunday  we  had  Tannhauser  to  an  overflowing  house  ; 
the  new  ending  went  well,  for  even  the  foreigners,  who 
on  such  occasions  always  gape,  but  do  not  stir  their 
hands,  were  quite  lively. 

Rienzi  will   come  out  at  Berlin   in    November;   the 
hlegel,  who  is  to  sing  Adriano,  is  engaged  there  from 
the  1st  of  October. — 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  461 

There  is  my  news  for  you,  you  poor  Heinemannel ! 
Let  me,  in  exchange,  soon  hear  something  definite  from 
you,  for  till  then  I  really  cannot  carry  on  a  proper 
conversation  with  you. — Minna,  who  has  thought  it 
necessary  to  keep  on  reminding  me  about  writing, 
most  heartily  wishes  you  speedy  recovery,  and  showers 
kind  greetings  all  round  : — /  follow  her  example. 

Farewell,  and  soon  send  good  news  to 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

DRESDEN,  August  6th,  '47. 

II. 

MY  DEAR  OLD  FRIEND  ! 

A  line  at  last  to  you,  of  whom  I  have  so  often 
thought,  at  once  in  joy  and  suffering.  You  poor, 
good  fellow,  who  gave  yourself  such  endless  trouble 
to  become  a  right-down  Philistine,  and  yet  now  feel 
compelled  to  the  most  un-Philistine  resolves  !  Could 
one  conceive  that  a  life  is  so  quickly  outlived !  You 
dear,  good  people — you  and  your  wife,  the  pair  of 
you,  what  are  you  living  through  now,  joy  or  pain  ? 
Both  together !  But  that  is  right ;  Life  is  the  principal 
thing,  and  life  means  to  be  joyful  and  sorrowful,  to  per- 
ceive, to  feel,  to  act,  to  do  and  strive ;  and  all  this  is  not 
thinkable  apart  from  joy  and  pain.  How  is  it  with  your 
hearts,  when  you  think  of  your  Wilhelm  ?  Are  you 
bemoaning  ?  Not  so — for  the  dead  alone  should  be 
lamented — and  when  one  has  a  son  so  full  of  life  as 
yours,  one  laughs  with  him  and  rejoices  over  him.  Go, 
and  leave  the  old  mud,  mud  to  remain ;  is  it  so  great 
a  misfortune  not  to  stay  glued  to  it  ? 


462  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

I  live  through  a  whole  world-history,  each  time  I 
realize  that  the  Heinerei  is  about  to  migrate  to  America  ; 
and  truly,  the  whole  history  of  the  world  is  at  the 
bottom  of  it !  Yet  how  simple  and  natural  such  an 
event  seems  to  us  at  times.  When,  at  the  end  of  June, 
I  had  returned  to  Paris  from  the  country,  Wilhelm 
came  to  visit  me,  an  hour  before  my  departure  for 
Zurich.  I  found  the  healthy,  brave  young  fellow  more 
to  my  liking  than  ever,  and  was  delighted  with  him. 
When  he  bluntly  told  me  that  there  was  nothing  more  to 
be  done  with  Europe,  that  he  was  off  to  America,  and 
father,  mother,  brothers,  and  sisters  would  follow  him 
within  two  years,  I  thought  it  so  natural  and  reasonable 
that  I  calmly  took  a  pinch  of  snuff  and  said,  "  That's 
sensible  ! "  Look  you,  that  was  a  moment  of  world- 
history  !  Then  all  personal,  petty,  miserable  conscious- 
ness of  man  stood  still ;  and  great,  naked,  and  open  lay 
at  our  feet  the  earth-ball  which  we  call  the  world,  while 
with  one  glance  we  understood  the  whole  carpentry  of 
this  globe.  But  now  too  often  this  world-historical 
consciousness  passes  from  me,  and  an  unspeakable 
heartache  seizes  me  at  the  thought,  "  The  dear  old 
Heines  are  going  also — to  America  ! "  Then  I  clench 
my  fists  and  gnash  my  teeth,  and  even  an  unearthly 
<:urse  escapes  my  lips !  Still,  before  you  go  away,  let 
us  see  one  another  once  more ;  we  will  make  a  rendezvous, 
and  I  will  keep  it ! — that  I  promise  you  ! ! — Enough  of 
this  ! 

My  better  half  has  reached  me  safe  and  sound. 
I  went  as  far  as  Rohrschach,  on  the  Lake  of  Constance, 
to  meet  her.  The  bird  and  dog  have  also  come,  and 
we  are  just  settling  down  in  a  little  abode.  The 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  463 

magnificent  Swiss  air,  the  grand  fresh  Alpine  scenery,  a 
few  staunch  friends  whom  I  have  won  here,  the  feeling 
of  freedom,  uncribbed  "activity,  hearty  pleasure  in  my 
work, — all  these  things  together  make  me  and  my 
good  wife  gay,  and  I  think  that  this  merry  mood  may 
bring  forth  much  that  is  worthy  and  good.  Should  we 
be  in  bad  humour  ?  No,  even  my  wife  cannot,  after  the 
recent  proofs  that  we  have  had  of  human  nobleness  ; 
if  they  be  few  in  number,  yet  they  are  of  the  right 
sort,  and  we  have  learnt  them  at  the  right  time ; 
and  thus  it  is,  that  the  worst  time  is  often  the  best. 
Devil  take  it !  we  shall  not  starve, — if  it  comes  to  the 
worst,  I  shall  write  to  my  patron,  your  Wilhelm  in 
America,  and  tell  him  to  get  me  some  kind  of  post,  as 
the  last  of  the  German  Mohicans, — then  you  shall  pack 
us  up  with  you,  and  we  will  all  sail  off  together.  If  I 
still  hold  on  with  all  my  roots  to  Europe,  it  is  because 
I  have  work  to  do  here,  and  with  all  my  mind's 
weapons ;  but  I  cannot  yet  bring  my  heart  to  agree  that 
a  portion  of  these  weapons  should  be  forged  in  the 
French  tongue,  and  it  is  at  bottom  a  mad  suggestion 
that  I,  of  all  people,  should  compose  a  French  opera- 
book.  Every  one  who  indulges  me  with  his  intimate 
sympathy,  must  understand  that.  My  repugnance  is 
boundless,  for  it  is  really  nothing  but  a  question  of 
gaining  fame  ;  and  at  whose  hands  this  fame  ?  Great 
heavens  !  only  of  good-for-nothings,  not  of  honest, 
sensible  folk  ! — Well,  we  shall  see  ! 

At  the  moment,  I  look  upon  it  as  my  duty  to  satisfy 
an  inner  necessity,  which  impels  to  speak  out  once  for 
all,  clearly  and  definitely,  about  our  whole  practice  of  Art. 
There  is  already  in  the  press  in  Paris  and  Leipzig  a 


464  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

short  treatise  of  mine:  Art  and  Revolution. — Presently  a 
second  essay  will  follow  this  :  The  Art- work  of  the  Future, 
which  will  finally  be  concluded  by  a  third :  The  Art-workers 
of  the  Future.  When  you  make  their  acquaintance,  dear 
friend,  you  will  understand,  I  hope,  that,  not  from 
outside  influence,  but  from  deepest  inner  need,  I  have 
evolved  to  what  I  am,  and  now  proclaim  the  views  I 
hold.  It  seems  to  be  the  fancy  of  you  all,  that  every- 
thing which  has  failed  to  please  you  in  myself,  and 
that,  owing  to  the  tendencies  of  the  age  in  general  and 
to  my  nature  in  particular,  you  have  not  been  able  to 
explain  at  once,  must  be  set  down  to  the  evil  influence  of 
another.  The  premisses  of  my  creed,  as  you  had  known 
them  from  my  works  and  from  my  views,  you  admitted 
to  be  right,  but  drew  back  in  terror  from  the  logically 
necessary  conclusions  from  these  premisses.  In  this 
you  all  were  wrong,  just  as  our  whole  so-called  cultured 
world  is  wrong,  when  it  will  not  allow  B,  after  it  has 
admitted  A.  But  this  B  demands  both  courage  and 
conviction  firm-set  as  a  rock ;  and  these  two  have 
nowhere  a  sure  seat, — hence  we  may  explain  the  pre- 
sent sorry  outcome  of  great  inceptions.  Do  you  think 
that  my  conviction  will  part  me  from  my  artistic  pro- 
duction ?  Quite  the  opposite.  For  since  I  have  clearly 
seen  that  our  whole  public  art  is  no  Art,  but  only  art- 
journey  manship, — that  it,  with  all  the  foundations  on 
which  it  is  built,  must  go  unpitied  to  the  devil, — only 
since  then  have  I  at  last  found  true  joy  in  art-work,  in 
that  art-work  which  shall  spring  of  itself,  by  natural 
laws,  from  the  Future  ;  and  at  which,  for  my  own  part, 
recognizing  its  conditionments,  I  now  can  and  will  toil 
with  liking  and  with  love.  This  process,  dear  friend, 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  465 

comes  not  about  by  eating  of  oysters  and  delicacies,  in 
comfortable  sofa-corners  ;  but  on  the  broadest  market- 
place of  life,  must  one  first  sharpen  his  teeth  by  biting 
stones,  ere  the  eye  shall  become  as  clear  as  the  inner 
nature  of  this  eye  permits.  For  this  reason,  brother 
Fischer,  to  whom  I  now  write  through  you,  inasmuch 
as  I  pray  you  in  my  name  to  greet  him  with  a  fervent 
brother-kiss — for  he  has  given  me  the  great  joy  of  at 
last,  and  of  his  own  accord,  proffering  me  his  brother- 
ship, — brother  Fischer  whom,  as  he  is  now  my  brother, 
and  this  is  permitted  among  brethren,  I  ought  properly 
to  call  an  old  fool  for  refusing  brothership  before  on  no 
other  ground  than  because  our  "  position  "  (  ! !  )  did  not 
allow  it, — brother  Fischer,  then,  will  shake  his  head 
violently  and  suspiciously,  when  he  hears  of  these  my 
latest  views  on  Art.  Yet,  do  you  assure  him,  the  dear, 
good,  honest  brother  Fischer,  that  these  latest  views  are 
throughout  but  the  old  ones,  only  that  they  are  clearer, 
less  bedizened,  and  therefore  more  humanized.  He 
can't  help  being  glad  when  he  once  more  sees  some- 
thing of  my  thoughts,  how  clear,  precise,  comprehen- 
sible, and  reasonable  the  whole  thing  shall  look, — for 
my  public  of  the  Future  cannot  be  composed  of  the 
clever  and  would-be-clever  ennuyes  of  our  privileged 
art-world  of  the  day,  but  of  all  sound,  uncrippled  men, 
who  have  as  valiant  a  heart  in  their  body  as  brother 
Fischer  himself  has — (I  don't,  of  course,  refer  to  you, 
with  my  "  uncrippled  "  ;  I  hope  you  will  credit  me  with 
sufficient  delicacy  of  feeling  not  to  have  wished  to  play 
upon  your  one-toned  chime  of  bells). 

Look  now,   good  little  Heinemann,    we   have  fallen 
upon  our  old  ways,  as  though  nothing  had  happened, 

30 


466  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

and  it  seems  to  me  as  if  we  were  our  same  old  incor- 
rigible selves  !  So  shall  it  be,  and  so  remain  !  If  the 
new  comes  forth  from  myself,  yet,  at  the  bottom,  it  is 
ever  the  old,  only  made  young  again  and  beautified  ; 
but  if  the  new  comes  from  without  to  disturb  us,  we 
thrust  it  one  side  as  well  as  we  can  ;  and  if  nothing 
else  is  possible,  at  least  we  reach  our  hands  to  one 
another  across  the  ocean,  even  if  you  must  needs  stand 
a  wee  bit  on  tiptoe.  When  you  go  to  America,  who 
knows  but  that  I  may  meet  you  from  Kamtschatka, 
through  which  country  I  may  have  got  myself  smuggled 
from  Siberia,  as  soon  as  the  Russians  have  opened  up 
the  route.  You  must  then  welcome  me,  and  not,  as 
an  American  Republican,  disown  me  because,  forsooth, 
I  come  to  you  in  the  ragged  uniform  of  the  Saxon 
Court  !— 

But  meanwhile,  so  long  as  we  yet  remain  so  near 
to  one  another  in  Europe,  we  must  hear  one  another 
reasonably  often,  if  only  by  letter.  So,  send  me  a  right 
good  letter,  and  tell  brother  Fischer  that  he  must  also 
write  me, — a  hotch-potch  of  everything  that  occurs  to 
him, — just  as  though  we  were  chumming  together  in 
the  evening  over  our  herring-pickle.  That  is  the  right 
thing,  and  has  the  genuine  homely  scent. 

One  thing  more ;  greet  Krieten  for  me,  and  give  him 
a  good  hand-grip  ;  do  you  hear  ?  He  belongs  to  those 
who  in  these  latter  times  have  taught  me  more  and  more 
to  love  mankind. 

Greet  also  X.  ;  I  understand  and  value  him,  although 
he  may  think  his  love  of  me  a  fault. — 

And  you  good  wife,  and  Marie — greet  them  from 
me  and  my  good  wife,  to  the  best  of  all  your  might; 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  467 

for  I  mean  it  all  and  heartily.  Greet  Miiller  too,  and 
tell  him  all  about  me. — And  now  farewell ;  keep  a  stout 
heart ;  you  have  good  reason  to,  for  many  are  worse 
off  than  you,  and  they  have  no  Wilhelm,  to  whom  I 
pray  you  commend  my  most  obedient  service,  by  letter. 
Fare  you  well,  and  hold  me  dear. 

Your 

RICHARD. 
ZURICH,  September,  '49. 

12. 

DEAREST,  BEST  FRIEND, 

I  do  not  really  write  a  letter  to-day,  but  only 
wished  a  short  notice  to  reach  Uhlig  with  regard  to  a 
Wigand  matter,  about  which  he  wrote  to  me  lately. — 
Now  that  I  have  at  last  got  into  a  quiet  home  here,  my 
fingers  are  absolutely  burning  to  write  my  pamphlet, 
Das  Kunstwerk  dcr  Zitkitnft,  the  composing  and  issu- 
ing of  which  have  become  for  me  a  veritable  heart- 
need.  The  work  is  instinctively  expanding  itself  under 
my  hands  to  the  full  — and  as  I  now  see,  to  its  necessary — 
proportions  ;  and — I  think  you  know  me — when  I  have 
anything  of  this  kind  on  my  mind,  I  curse  the  time 
which  I  must  spend  on  eating,  sleeping,  and  necessary 
recreation,  and  for  which  I  must  twitch  off  a  corner 
from  my  appetite  for  work.  For  nothing  in  the  world, 
then,  could  I  constrain  myself  to  devote  a  morning  to 
letter-writing  ;  but  I  merely  give  up  a  few  moments  to 
the  settlement  of  other  matters.  That  is  why  you 
receive  no  letter  from  me  to-day,  but  only  a  couple  of 
very  hasty  lines,  as  I  cannot  possibly  post  a  letter  to 
Dresden  without  at  least  saying  good-day  or  good-night 
to  you  ! 


468  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Do  not  be  vexed  with  me  for  preferring  to  write 
direct  to  Wigand  in  the  " Nibelungen"  matter,  and  not, 
as  you  wished,  through  you ;  for  I  could  settle  it  in  a 
few  words  with  Wigand — but  to  you  I  should  have  had 
to  write  quite  a  treatise,  in  order  to  quiet  your  scru- 
pulous soul.  But  when  I  am  occupied  with  anything 
so  engrossing  as  my  present  work,  I  like  to  be  kept 
from  it  for  as  short  a  time  as  possible.  So  do  not  be 
vexed  with  me  for  this !  For,  after  so  nice  a  letter  as 
the  one  I  have  just  received  from  you,  you  would  have 
no  right  to  be  so.  Be  assured,  I  could  wish  for  nothing 
pleasanter  than  to  receive  such  a  letter  every  day,  not 
perchance  on  account  of  the  flattery  in  it,  but  because 
of  the  true  heart-and-soul  interest  which  it  caused  or 
excited  in  me. 

However,  I  did  not  mean  to  write  you  a  letter  at  all, 
and  so  you  shall  not  even  get  so  much  as  half  a  one  ! 

As  soon  as  my  work — which  is  turning  into  quite  a 
book — is  finished,  which  I  hope — with  the  copy — will 
be  the  middle  of  November,  I  will  write  nothing  but 
letters  for  a  whole  week — letters — immense  letters — 
and  you  shall  receive  an  extra-special  pleasant  one  : 
also  brother  Fischer's  letter  shall  not  be  so  bad.  Give 
him  one  hundred  thousand  greetings,  the  good,  ex- 
cellent soul,  and  tell  him  how  I  am  impaled  on  the 
Work-of-the-Future. 

If  meanwhile  you  receive  any  news  from  Wilhelm,  I 
beg  you,  in  the  most  pressing  manner,  to  write  to  me 
at  once.  Yet,  apart  from  that,  you  would  rejoice  me 
above  everything  if  you  would  soon  let  me  hear  a  trifle 
again. 

Best  and  heartiest  greetings  to  wife  and  child  from 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  469 

myself  and  my  wife  !  Keep  in  good  health,  and  do  not 
be  such  a  cursed  egoist  as  to  complain  about  future  de- 
crease of  ability  to  work,  etc.  What  the  devil  have 
you  got  your  son  for  ?  How  we  always  look  upon  our 
own  powers  as  our  only  ones,  while  the  glorious  exten- 
sion of  our  being  through  that  of  others,  especially  of 
our  own  children,  we  contemptuously  overlook  :  "  We 
all  know  nothing  as  yet  of  love !  " — 

More  of  this  another  time !  Farewell,  and  make 
yourself  familiar  with  the  idea  that  we  shall  soon  see 
each  other  again — certainly  before  the  two  years  are 
over  ! — Adieu  ! 

Your 

RICHARD. 

October  261/1,  '49. 

And  was  I  not  delighted  with  your  family  picture, 
and  Wilhelm's  portrait  in  plaster,  which  both  arrived 
here  safe  and  sound  ?  !  In  thinking  of  what  is  far  off,  one 
often  forgets  what  is  close  at  hand, — so  it  was  in  my 
last  letter  ! — The  best  of  thanks,  and  the  assurance  that 
your  emigration  in  effigie  to  Switzerland — and  under 
my  roof — has  made  me  ever  so  happy.  You  are  all 
hanging  at  full  length  on  our  walls, — better,  however, 
than  the  Hungarian  generals  in  Pesth  and  Arad ! — 
Kind  thanks,  old  fellow  ! 

13- 

DEAR  LITTLE  HEINEMANNEL  ! 

Here  you  have  a  living  letter :  a  faithful,  good 
soul,  who  will  give  you  news  from  myself  and  Minna, 
a  thousand  times  better  than  my  poor  pen  could  do. 


470  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Moreover,  this  letter  will  not  strain  your  eyes.  If  you 
can  send  me  nothing  of  this  living  sort,  be  assured  that 
with  immense  delight  I  would  accept,  by  way  of  com- 
pensation, a  pen-ink-and-paper-letter  instead.  Do  not 
keep  me  waiting  for  it,  and  believe  me  I  ever  and  ever 
think  of  you  with  faithful  affection. 

Your 

RICHARD. 

14. 

MY  GOOD  HEINE, 

You  will  be  more  than  surprised  to  have  had  no 
letter  from  me  for  so  long.  The  debt  weighs  heavily 
on  my  mind,  and  for  a  long  time  I  have  thought  of 
paying  it  off.  Latterly  I  really  was  uncertain  as  to 
whether  you  were  still  in  Dresden,  or  already  in  Berlin  : 
I  waited  therefore  to  receive  news,  and  so  the  matter 
got  delayed. 

I  will  be  honest,  and  tell  you  that  for  some  time  I 
would  not  write  to  you,  because  I  knew  not  what  I 
could  write.  The  great  infatuation  of  a  section  of  my 
friends — however  easily  explained — is  what  has  brought 
me  into  this  state  of  deepest  distraction  and  melan- 
choly :  it  was  that  unfortunate  urging  of  me  to  Paris. 
In  the  last  months  of  the  past  year,  I  had  already  firmly 
resolved  to  give  up  the  Paris  plan  entirely  :  but  such  a 
letter  as  yours,  in  which  you  suddenly  painted  so  black 
a  picture  of  my  past  and  future,  was  quite  enough  to 
induce  me — half  in  despair — to  overthrow  my  resolution. 
You,  Fischer,  and  all  of  you  had  only  one  thing  before 
your  eyes  :  the  glories  of  Paris, — of  which  you  all  knew 
absolutely  nothing.  Well,  I  looked  at  my  wife,  and 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  471 

saw  that  she  also  had  the  Parisian  bee  in  her  bonnet, — 
so  I  then  resolved — ill,  very  ill,  as  I  was — to  go  to 
Paris  in  the  devil's  name,  and  indeed  in  the  most 
excellent  temper  in  the  world.  My  stay  in  Paris  is  one 
of  the  most  villainous  things  that  I  have  ever  expe- 
rienced. Everything  which  I  foretold  and  foresaw 
came  literally  to  pass.  My  sketch  for  an  opera-poem 
appeared  ridiculous,  and  with  good  reason,  to  every- 
body who  knew  anything  of  the  French  language  and 
the  French  Opera.  The  condition  of  this  Opera  itself, 
the  Prophet,  No.  5,  and  all  impressions  connected 
therewith,  made  me  seem  mad  even  to  myself:  and, 
finally,  the  impossibility  of  getting  so  much  as  an  over- 
ture performed — my  frightful  disgust  at  the  banker's- 
music,  from  which  every  decent  person  in  Paris  itself 
turns  away, — all  this  brought  me,  suffering  as  I  was 
from  terrible  relaxation  of  the  nerves,  into  a  state  of 
mind  not  quite  the  best  fitted  for  my  turning  with 
apologetic  explanations  to  those  of  my  friends  who 
were  now  probably  expecting  nothing  but  news  of 
Parisian  triumphs  and  successes.  On  the  contrary,  I 
had  got  so  far  that  I  held  it  fitter  to  break  with  heaven 
and  earth ;  to  which  I  saw  myself  more  pressed  each 
day.  It  was  as  though  everything  with  which  I  had 
any  closer  ties  were  now  conspiring  to  drive  me  to 
extremes. —  And  I  had  really  come  to  an  extreme,  for 
anything  was  preferable  to  continuing  this  life,  to  con- 
tinuing with  those  who  held  that  the  very  thing  most 
repulsive  to  my  nature  was  the  best  thing  for  me — who 
were  all  agreed,  that  in  theory  one  should  be  an  honest 
fellow,  but  in  practice  a  scoundrel ! — 

Enough  ;    that    heavy    time    is    over    for   me, — the 


472  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

mephitic  clouds  of  Paris  have  dispersed  before  me,  and 
since  the  last  two  or  three  months  I  have  been  back 
again  in  my  friendly,  healthy  Zurich,  from  which  neither 
god  nor  devil  shall  drive  me  any  more.  So  now  once 
more  I  can  look  at  you  with  the  requisite  cheerfulness, 
and  say  in  peace  that  I  heartily  and  willingly  forgive 
you,  if  you  laboured  under  a  mistake  with  regard  to 
me ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  I  beg  you  to  pardon  me 
for  so  long  withholding  from  your  sympathy  its  corre- 
sponding nourishment.  I  was  truly  beside  myself,  and 
have  now  returned  to  myself — and  this  is  the  chief 
thing  I  wished  to  point  out  to  you. — 

For  the  rest,  I  have  nothing  particular  to  tell  you 
about  myself.  You  know  that  Liszt  has  given  my 
Lohengrin  at  Weimar.  The  performance  is  said  to 
have  been  excellent  in  all  secondary  matters,  but  the 
principal  thing — the  actors  on  the  stage — feeble  and 
altogether  unsatisfactory.  Well,  that  explains  itself; 
Providence  will  not  work  private  miracles  for  me, 
neither  will  it  make  actors — such  as  I  want — grow  on 
every  tree  ! — Nevertheless,  I  am  now  thinking  of  writing 
the  music  to  my  Siegfried.  In  order  one  day  to  be  able 
to  produce  it  properly,  I  am  cherishing  all  sorts  of  bold 
and  out-of-the-way  plans  ;  to  the  realization  of  which 
nothing  further  is  necessary  than  that  some  old  uncle 
or  other  should  take  it  into  his  head  to  die.  Later  on 
you  shall  hear  more  about  it ! — If  you  feel  inclined  once 
again  to  read  something  of  mine,  get  the  last  numbers 
of  the  Neue  Zeitschrift  fur  Musik  (Leipzig)  :  the  article 
"  Das  Judenthum  in  der  Musik,"  by  R.  Freigedank, 
is  mine. 

From  certain  preparations  which  have  been  made  for 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  4/3 

the  purpose,  it  is  possible  that  here  in  Zurich  I  may 
from  time  to  time  do  a  little  active  work  for  art.  Also 
more  of  this  later. 

First  of  all,  I  am  anxious  for  news  about  you,  yours, 
and  my  old  Fischer  !  May  it  be  good  news  !  In  order 
that  we  may  get  into  step  once  more,  write  to  me  soon, 
tell  me  much,  greet  your  folk  and  Fischer  in  a  proper 
manner,  —  and  keep  me  in  kind  remembrance. 

Your 

RICHARD  W. 

ZURICH,  September  i^th,  '50  (ABENDSTERN,  IN  ENGE). 


DEAR  OLD  FRIEND, 

It  is  certainly  right  wrong  of  me  not  yet  to  have 
answered  your  January  letter.  I  will  not  excuse  myself 
by  saying  that  I  have  been  too  deeply  engrossed  in  my 
work,  but  I  must  confess  that  for  me  —  in  my  own 
peculiar  mood  —  it  was  most  difficult  to  write  to  you  ; 
for  your  news  of  yourself  was  of  a  kind  to  fill  me  with 
sighing  and  heaviness,  but  not  with  the  strength  to 
console  you.  —  By  chance  I  learn  now  that  you  are  still 
in  Berlin,  that  your  connection  with  the  theatre  will 
not  be  definitely  fixed  until  the  new  management  starts, 
and  a  report  gives  me  reason  to  hope  that  you  are  in 
better  spirits  than  at  first. 

Now  I  should  so  much  like  to  know  how  things 
are  with  you,  and  I  say  this  chiefly  in  the  hopes  of 
hearing  something  more  favourable  than  was  the  case 
with  your  last  letter.  That  is  the  real  occasion  of  these 
lines.  May  I  not  be  deceived  in  my  hope  —  of  at  least. 


474  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

tolerable  news. — I  cannot  trust  myself  to  say  more 
concerning  your  state — at  last  described  by  you  :  I 
could — as  I  said — only  sigh,  so  mournful  was  every- 
thing, and  so  powerless  did  I  feel  to  help  you  ! — 

With  me  it  fares  both  well  and  ill :  it  is  only  a  matter 
of  the  moods  into  which  I  am  thrown,  which  with  me 
naturally  fluctuate  violently — like  ebb  and  flow.  My 
own  courage  I  never  completely  lose ;  I  am  so  far  at 
one  with  myself  and  the  moods  of  the  world,  that  I  can 
explain  to  myself  why  everything  is  just  as  it  is ;  and 
as  it  never  occurs  to  me  to  wish  to  reverse  the  nature 
of  things,  so  I  wait  where  I  recognize  my  own  powers 
of  activity  avail  not ;  but  where  I  see  that  my  activity 
might  have  any  success,  I  grapple  with  all  my  available 
force,  and  content  myself  with  the  smallest  result.  I 
have  thus  the  conscious  knowledge  of  doing  what  I  can, 
and,  on  the  other  hand,  of  calmly  giving  up  that  which 
I  must  give  up.  Thus  I  maintain  myself  now  in  sounder 
health  than,  for  example,  was  the  case  last  year.  That 
I  often  have  bad  times  is  easily  understood;  but  I  am  in 
all  respects  candid  beyond  measure  ;  I  complain  when 
I  have  occasion  to  complain,  and  rejoice  when  I  have 
reason  for  joy.  Our  dear  little  Papo  died  this  winter  ; 
I  put  no  restraint  on  my  heartfelt,  bitter  mourning  for 
the  sad  loss  of  our  little  whistling,  chattering,  household 
fairy,  that  clung  to  me  with  such  endless  love. — With 
this  open-heartedness,  I  have  at  least  won  this  much, 
that  I  am  no  longer  surprised  at  any  outward  misfortune  ; 
.a  dash  of  irony  also  helps  me  over  all  such  things — 
for  I  know  that  it  cannot  be  otherwise. — 

As  for  money,  it  so  happens  with  me  that  whenever 
my  purse  is  dry  and  Minna  already  begins  to  look 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  475 

black,  straightway  a  fresh  supply  comes  in.  This  is 
how  it  comes  about :  I  have  few  friends,  but  these 
few  love  me ;  any  one  of  them  who  can,  always  does 
help  me.  The  most  active  in  this  respect  is  Frau 
R.  in  Dresden  ;  from  time  to  time  Liszt  also  does  his 
share.  I  live  in  completely  communistic  fashion,  but 
only  with  those  who  fully  know  me,  and  are  heartily 
devoted  to  me.  From  no  one  else  would  I  take  a  penny. 
So — understand  me  well :  only  one  who  respects  and 
loves  me  would  I  permit  to  help  support  me.  Now 
and  then,  too,  I  earn  a  trifle.  This  winter  I  have 
written  a  fairly  large  book  :  Oper  und  Drama.  J.  J. 
Weber  was  willing  to  pay  100  thalers  ;  A.  offered  75 
thalers  more  after  the  sale  of  400  copies, — so  it  will 
shortly  be  published  by  the  latter.  You  have  probably 
heard,  and  especially  read,  something  about  Lohengrin 
recently — Breithopf  &  Hartel  are  now  engraving  the 
pianoforte  score  of  it;  and  probably  will  publish  the 
full  score  later.  This  will  bring  me  no  money,  but  merely 

wipe  off  a  c d  old  debt  to  that  firm.     Uo  you  see  ? 

I  am  even  paying  off  debts  :  what  more  do  you  want  ? 
During  the  winter  I  practised  here  a  few  of  Beethoven's 
Symphonies,  with  a  mixed  orchestra  of  amateurs  and 
professionals.  The  thing  got  talked  about :  now  they 
are  about  to  engage  for  me  a  good  standing  orchestra. 
I  declined  to  have  anything  to  do  with  the  theatre. 
But  shortly  a  pamphlet  of  mine  will  appear  under  the 
title,  Ein  Theater  in  Zurich — in  which  I  shall  open 
people's  eyes  a  bit,  and  show  them  what  they  should 
do,  if  they  wish  to  have  anything  of  value.  You  shall 
soon  receive  the  pamphlet. — 

In  May  I  set  to  the  composition  of  Siegfried.     For  a 


4/6  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

change  I  shall  sometimes  climb  the  Alps. — Ah  !  if  no 
one  would  pity  me  any  more  on  account  of  my  loss 
of  my  Dresden  position  !  How  little  they  know  me, 
who  look  upon  this  loss  as  my  misfortune  !  Were  I 
amnestied  to-day,  and  were  I  again  appointed  Chief 
Court  Capellmeister  at  Dresden,  you  would  see  how 
calmly  I  should  remain  in  my  Switzerland,  and  perhaps 
scarcely  even  put  my  feet  on  the  blessed  soil  of  the 
German  confederacy  ! — Yes,  that  is  how  I  feel ! — Here- 
with I  give  you  good  news  of  myself:  as  to  my  gloomy 
days,  I  can  the  rather  keep  silence,  as  they  mostly  come 
from  overwork  and  nervous  exhaustion  ;  for  then  I  cer- 
tainly look  with  an  eye  of  despair  on  the  wretchedness 
of  the  present  order  of  things.  But  is  one  not  lucky 
enough  if  able  from  time  to  time  to  conquer  these 
moods  ? — So  now  give  yourself  the  trouble  to  write 
something  good  about  yourself,  and  let  your  Wilhelm 
serve  as  theme  :  your  living,  moving  work,  far  better 
than  my  paper  works.  Give  me  good  news  then :  greet 
wife  and  child,  and  keep  me  in  kind  remembrance. 

Your 

RICHARD  W. 

ENGE,  NEAR  ZURICH,  April  '51. 

Peps  is  still  alive,  but  fearfully  lazy  whenever  he  is 
not  barking. 

1 6. 
BEST  HEINEMANN  ! 

Hearty  thanks  for  your  kind  letter  !  But  unfor- 
tunately the  big  one,  promised  to  me  through  a  certain 
lady — I  have  not  received.  I  waited  until  to-day  in 
the  hopes  of  getting  it.  Still,  above  all,  I  express  to 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  477 

you  my  very  great  joy  in  that  you  (and  others  also) 
tell  me  of  your  good  state  of  health  :  certainly  that 
was  the  pleasantest  thing  which  you  could  write  to  me  ! 
Now,  as  I  cannot  answer  you  anything  about  your 
own  affairs — as  I  have  not  received  the  letter  in  ques- 
tion— and  as  everything  which  I  could  tell  you  about 
myself  has  already  been  put  into  my  letter  to  Fischer, 
I  limit  myself  for  to-day  to  a  cordial  greeting  to  you 
and  yours,  while  I  beg  Fischer  to  let  you  have  my 
letter  to  him.  What  I  write  to  him  is  nearly  all  for 
you  as  well. — So  let  me  know  more  about  yourself 
and  Wilhelm,  and  thus  I  shall  have  better  occasion 
for  a  special  answer !  Once  again,  best  and  most 
heartfelt  thanks  for  your  friendship,  and  for  the  con- 
tinued proofs  of  the  same  !  Farewell,  and  let  me  soon 
have  further  particulars. 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 

September  '51.. 

From  the  I5th  onwards,  at  Albisbrunn,  near  Hausen, 
in  the  Canton  of  Zurich. 

Milller  is  going  with  me  to  the  hydropathic  establish- 
ment ;  your  old  and  faithful  doctor  has  got  him  into  a 
nice  state.  O  you  unhappy  men,  with  your  poison- 
dosing  doctors  !  You  are  all  wretched,  and  no  one 
believes  it !  It's  terrible  ! 


17- 
DEAREST  HEINEMANN, 

I  have  kept  on  thinking  it  was  your  turn  to  write 
to  me,  as  you  owe  me  news  about  yourself  and  family, 


478  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

since — as  you  know — the  letter  per  the  famous  Fraulein 
E.  (or  somehow)  has  not  reached  me.  So  I  only  write 
to-day  to  remind  you  about  writing.  Especially  do  I 
beg  for  news  about  Wilhelm ;  I  should  also  particularly 
like  to  have  his  address. 

Before  I  know  from  yourself  how  you  are,  I  will  just 
tell  you  this  about  my  doings  :  that  I  have  become  a 
complete  water-man.  This  time  I  was  ten  weeks  in 
the  hydropathic  establishment ;  only  on  account  of  the 
winter  setting  in  early  and  with  great  severity,  have  I 
given  up  the  cure  for  the  present.  However,  it  was 
sufficient  to  give  me  the  clearest  foretaste  of  perfect 
health,  a  new  and  indescribable  feeling  of  comfort, 
of  which  not  one  of  us  has  any  idea  until  he  has 
experienced  it  :  (for  it  is  well  known  that  we  are  made 
ill  from  youth  upwards,  so  that  we  have  absolutely  no 
consciousness  of  health  !) — and  this  complete  health  I 
will  win  for  myself  next  spring,  when  I  shall  go  again 
to  the  hydropathic  establishment. — I  shall  pass  the 
winter  in  comfortably  lounging  about  as  much  as 
possible — the  only  thing  which  I  find  somewhat  irk- 
some— in  order  when  summer  comes  to  set  to  the 
greatest  work  of  my  life  in  full  harness  and  restored  to 
health.  Concerning  that  work  I  tell  you  nothing  here, 
because  you  will  shortly  read  more  about  it  in  an 
"  Address  to  my  Friends,"  which  I  shall  put  as  "  Pre- 
face "  to  the  edition  of  my  Three  Opera-poems  (Flying 
Dutchman,  TannJiiinser,  and  Lohengrin}. — So  enough 
for  the  present !  — 

Do  }'ou  know  where  the  Frommanns  live  ?  If  so, 
please  send  them  the  enclosed  lines ! — 

So,  Nante,  write  !     To  your  wife  and  child  heartiest 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  479- 

greetings  from  myself  and  Minna,  who  is  quite  well  and 
cheerful ! — Farewell,  old  fellow  ! 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH  (ZELTWEG),  December  zofh,  '51. 

1 8. 

DEAR  NANTE  ! 

Do  not  take  it  amiss  that  I  only  to-day  send  you 
news  !  But  even  to-day  I  merely  write  you  briefly,  to- 
tell  you  that  to-day  I  shall  not  write  you  at  length, 
because  I  can  only  do  this  after  some  little  time. 
Why  ? — you  shall  learn  that  at  once.  You  know  what 
an  obstinate  beast  I  am ;  well,  I  have  just  finished  my 
great  Nibclungen  poem,  and  I  mean  to  make  a  clean 
copy  of  the  stuff,  so  that  my  friends,  too,  may  be  able 
to  taste  as  much  as  possible  of  it.  This  will  take  a  full 
month  of  my  time  away,  for  at  present  I  can  at  most 
spend  three  hours  on  such  work  :  but  it  must  be  done 
before  I  go  to  anything  else  ;  otherwise  I  shall  have  no 
rest.  Now,  I  cannot  write  as  I  ought  to  you,  without 
thoroughly  acknowledging  your  amiable  care  about 
Lohengrin.  But  I  see  again,  especially  from  your 
letter,  that  I  must  express  myself  very  clearly  and  in 
detail  with  regard  to  my  wishes  for  the  staging  of 
Lohengrin,  before  I  can  be  certain  not  to  be  misunder- 
stood on  any  point.  For  this  purpose  I  shall  have  to 
bring  my — unfortunately  somewhat  neglected — painting 
talent  into  service ;  but  in  any  case  I  see  a  work  before 
me  that  cannot  be  dashed  off  in  a  moment  :  I  therefore 
save  it  until  I  have  finished  what  I  have  immediately  in 
hand.  Fortunately  this  matter  does  not  press  :  I  have 


480  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

withdrawn  Lohengrin  everywhere  for  this  winter,  and 
shall  not  open  the  doors  for  it  until  the  next.  The 
Flying  Dutchman  is  being  given  in  place  of  it  at 
Schwerin  and  Breslau.  I  rejoice  at  the  thought  of  the 
work  which  we  shall  both  do  presently :  something 
"  orderly  "  will  come  out  of  it.  You  have  already  given 
me  most  "  disorderly  "  joy  by  your  ready  consent,  as 
well  as  by  your  preliminary  designs.  You  will  receive 
the  pianoforte  score  at  the  same  time  as  my  sketches  :  I 
have  a  copy  for  you.  I  doubt  whether  we  can  persuade 
Hartels  to  publish  the  scenarium :  I  shall  probably  have 
to  pay  the  costs  myself,  but  sha'n't  make  anything 
by  it. 

The  visit  of  yourself  and  Fischer  to  Weimar  sur- 
prised me  very  much  :  how  the  deuce  do  you  old-young 
fellows  come  to  take  such  a  jaunt  ?  There  must  be 
some  witchcraft  in  it ! — Your  notes  about  the  Weimar 
performance  were  of  the  highest  interest  to  me  :  I  saw 
everything  vividly  before  me,  and,  so  far  as  I  can 
conjecture,  agree  with  you  as  to  the  character  of  the 
performance. — Hearty  thanks  !  The  small  attention 
which  G.  paid  to  all  my  hints  and  directions  appears 
to  have  made  your  hair  stand  on  end  !  And  yet  Papa 
Fischer  blames  me  so  much  for  my  Guide  to  Tannhauser 
— he  always  imagines  it  to  be  my  sole  concern  to  see 
my  operas  performed,  and  that  it  is  therefore  "  unwise  " 
to  make  so  many  out-of-the-way  demands  !  !  I  have 
indeed  good  ground  for  shame,  to  have  been  misunder- 
stood on  the  most  important  points  even  by  you  and 
him.  I  care  absolutely  nothing"  about  my  things 
being1  given  :  I  am  only  anxious  that  they  should  be 
SO  given  as  I  intended  ;  he  who  will  not  and  cannot 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  481 

do  that,  let  him  leave  them  alone.  That  is  my  whole 
meaning — and  has  Fischer  not  yet  found  that  out  ?  O 
you  hardened  sinner  ! ! — Na,  greet  him  heartily.  Best 
thanks  for  his  letter  :  answer  anno  1853  ! 

Give  greetings  to  good  Aunt  Heine  and  Marie  :  in  his 
sail  round  the  world  I  hope  Wilhelm  will  meet  you  again 
in  Japan,  and,  to  be  sure,  stuttering.  Many  hearty  greet- 
ings and  good  wishes  from  myself  and  Minna :  to- 
morrow we  give  our  Christmas-boxes.  Farewell ! 
Your  soon  forty-year-old 

RICHARD. 

December  '52. 

P.S. — As  to  the  Flying  Dutchman,  I  have  referred 
.Breslau  and  Schwerin  to  Berlin  for  the  scenarium  (it  was 
not  at  all  bad  there  !)  :  perhaps  with  your  acquaintances 
you  could  help  them  ? 

19. 
DEAR  NANTE  ! 

Would  it  be  possible  to  lend  the  costume-pictures 
for  Tannhauser  to  the  very  small  (but  well-disposed) 
theatre  at  Freiburg  (Baden)  ;  or — if  not — to  let  it  have 
them  as  cheaply  as  possible  ?  The  people  there  have 
arranged  the  rest  as  well  as  they  could. — If  you  can, 
then  do  it  quickly ;  for  they  have  been  doddering,  and 
are  now  in  a  desperate  hurry. — I  shall  soon  set  to  the 
Lohengrin  work,  which  I  shall  then  send  you  at  the  same 
time  as  the  pianoforte  score. 
Hearty  greeting  from 

Your 

R.  WAGNER. 

February  yd,  '53. 

31 


482  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

20. 

DEAREST  BROTHER, 

It  was  very  kind  of  you  to  take  such  interest  in 
the  Freiburg  people  :  it  has  borne  very  good  fruit.  From 
all  reports  I  learn  that  in  this  small  nest — through  the 
uncommon  zeal  of  all,  and  particularly  of  the  young  but 
extremely  talented  musical  director — an  exceptionally 
good  performance  of  Tannhcinser  has  taken  place.  The 
singer  of  the  principal  role,  a  young  man  of  twenty-two,  so 
interests  me  that  I  have  made  an  appointment  with  him, 
in  order  to  make  his  acquaintance.  Eduard  Devrient 
was  also  there  (at  the  third  performance). — I  tell  you 
this  in  reward  for  your  friendliness  toward  these  people. 

The  long  letter  which  I  owe  you  I  cannot  write  to- 
day. I  have  for  the  present  knocked  myself  up  with 
many  and  various  things  :  especially  have  I  a  wretched 
lot  of  letters  to  answer,  and  indeed  to  persons  who  are 
not  so  indulgent  as  you  and  Fischer.  But  I  shall  soon 
settle  to  the  Lohengrin  work  :  Hartels  will  publish  it — 
provided  the  matter  is  made  easy  for  them.  With  the 
pianoforte  score  I  will  then  send  you  also  my  recently 
finished  great  poem  (Der  Ring  des  Nibdungeri).  In 
the  course  of  the  next  few  days  I  hope,  too,  to  manage 
to  write  to  P :  kind  greetings  to  him  for  to-day,  and 
announce  my  letter  to  him,  which  certainly  will  contain 
much  business-stuff  (for  we  must  take  X.  by  the  nape 
of  the  neck  !). 

For  to-day,  only  one  further  question  and  request. 
The  Leipziger  Illustrirte  again  wishes  to  make  a  fuss 
about  me  (in  connection  with  Tannhduser) :  for  that 
purpose  they  wished  to  give  my  portrait,  and  from  a 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  483 

new  photograph.  I  tried  it,  but  the  weather  was  so 
bad  that  it  turned  out  a  failure.  So  at  last — with  my 
great  dislike  to  a  sitting — I  yielded  to  the  request  of  a 
lady  portrait-painter  here,  who  is  really  a  most  intelli- 
gent and  practised  water-colourist,  and  am  now  having 
my  portrait  taken  :  the  Illustrirte  will  receive  a  photo- 
graphic copy  of  it.  But  the  picture,  in  the  opinion  of 
all  who  have  watched  its  growth,  has  turned  out  so 
exceptionally  good,  that  we  have  now  come  upon  the 
idea  of  having  a  portrait  so  like  my  present  self  at 
last — and  indeed  for  that  very  reason — lithographed 
for  my  friends  in  Germany.  The  artist  is  not  satisfied 
with  the  lithographers  here  ;  and  she  would  only  permit 
it  to  be  lithographed  abroad,  provided  there  were  some 
one  in  the  place  who  was  well  acquainted  with  me,  and 
who  could  therefore  supervise  the  copy  in  the  interest 
of  the  likeness.  So  I  thought  of  Hanfstangl — as  litho- 
grapher— and  you  as  supervisor.  Please  then  speak 
soon  to  Hanfstangl,  and  see  if  he  will  undertake  the 
stone-drawing :  any  one  who  cares  may  see  about 
publishing  it.  I  should  think  no  one  would  do  badly 
with  it ;  but  if  there  is  any  difficulty,  Hartels  will  take 
it  up  at  once.  If  you  agree,  I  will  send  you  the  portrait 
next  week  ;  but  the  lithographing  must  be  first-rate  ! — 

Well,  as  this  is  not  to  be  a  proper  letter,  you've  had 
enough  for  to-day ;  besides,  I  am  rather  more  in  the 
dumps  than  usual.  Yesterday  I  worried  the  members 
of  our  orchestra  out  of  their  lives,  and  into  quite  a  mag- 
nificent performance  of  the  Eroica :  I  feel  some  of  the 
effects  of  it  now. — 

You  appear  to  be  going  on  fairly  well  !  Heaven 
knows  !  you  will  come  out  of  it  in  grand  style  at  the 


484  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

finish !  Excuse  me  this  superficial  scribbling  —  but 
greet  wife  and  child,  with  Uncle  Fischer,  most  heartily 
from  both  of  us  ! 

Farewell !     Soon  more  from  your 

Veery  gude 

RICHARD  W. 

ZURICH,  March  <)th,  '53. 

(Do  not  frank  letters  to  me  !  I  get  quite  enough  now 
to  pay  for  that,  although  in  my  other  money-matters  I 
shall  always  be  a  good-for-nothing.) 


21. 


DEAREST  OLD  FELLOW  ! 

Many  thanks  for  your  letter,  to  which  I  at  once 
answer  in  the  briefest  way  just  what  is  absolutely 
necessary  ! — About  the  portrait  you  have  made  a  silly 
mistake  :  the  water-colour  drawing  is  the  original,  and 
the  phototype  is  taken  from  the  water-colour  drawing. 
This  by  way  of  rectification.  It  would  be  only  fair  to 
the  lady  artist,  if  she  were  named  on  the  lithograph  : 
her  name  is — Clementine  Stockar-Escher. 

I  know  Hartels  are  slow,  and  wish  first  to  see  the 
original  :  you  ought  certainly  to  have  been  able  to 
manage  that  at  once.  But  now  in  a  word  :  let  Hanfstdngl 
commence  immediately,  and  for  the  present  directly  to 
my  order  and  at  my  cost.  If  the  plates  are  ready,  send 
Hartels  an  impression,  and  ask  if  they  will  publish  it, 
provided  the  costs  be  made  good.  If  they  will  not,  / 
will  pay,  and  you  must  think  of  some  one  to  whom  you 
could  give  the  sale  on  commission  :  perhaps  one  could 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  485 

try  again  with  the — good — M.  The  principal  thing  is 
for  the  plate  to  be  ready :  the  caricatures  of  me,  which 
are  now  bought,  annoy  me  much.  (Apropos  !  Let  the 
R.'s  see  the  original  at  once.) 

For  your  willingness  to  attend  to  the  Lohengrin  work, 
in  spite  of  your  suffering,  I  heartily  thank  you  ;  if  you 
soon  get  it  done — well  and  good ;  but  one  must  not 
flog  a  willing  horse. 

Good  heavens  !  if  only  there  were  an  end  to  these 
misunderstandings  of  Fischer's  !  What  you  again  re- 
proach me  with  is  really  absolute  nonsense ;  I  never 
said  anything  of  the  sort.  Leave  the  whole  bother 
alone ;  there's  nothing  in  it  but  empty  straw.  We 
know,  I  think,  how  we  stand  with  each  other  ! — 

I  was  very  sorry  to  hear  you  had  been  bad  again  for 
three  months  :  I  hope  you  are  better  now. 

You  are  probably  quite  clear  now  about  the  copy  of 
my  new  poem  :  in  ordering  the  number,  I  certainly 
thought  of  you  and  Fischer,  but  not  exactly  about  P. ; 
so  that  came — casually — betwixt  and  between.  You 
old  discontented  doubters,  you  ! ! 

I  was  quite  astonished  about  Wilhelm's  route  to 
Japan  :  I  always  thought  it  went  from  North  America 
round  Cape  Horn.  Well,  that's  all  right !  but  it's  a 
capital  joke  after  all.  Dearest  friend,  in  future  we 
shall  bring  up  our  sons  by  first  sending  them  on  a 
journey  round  the  world.  What  miserable  toads  are 
we  !  for  we  spend  our  dear  lives  in  dreaming  of  heaven, 
and  never  get  the  least  glimpse  of  earth  ! — 

M.'s  sisters  grow  younger  every  day. — Minna  is 
quite  pleased  with  our  lovely  new  home.  Greetings 
to  your  household  and  to  our  friends  !  Take  care  of 


486  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

yourself,  and  cure  your  stomach  for  the  sake  of  your 
eyes  !     Again,  many  thanks  for  your  letter  ! 
Farewell ! 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  April  3Ctf//,  '53. 

The  phototypist  who  made  the  copy  was  stupid 
enough  to  leave  the  water-colour  drawing  exposed  to 
the  sun,  and  it  became  quite  faded,  etc.  Hence,  the 
Stockar's  request  to  take  more  care  of  it. 

I  am  now  up  to  my  ears  in  muddle,  on  account  of 
my  musical  performances.  I  am  getting  my  orchestra 
from  Switzerland,  France,  and  Germany  :  it  makes  a 
lot  of  correspondence!  So — forgive  this  hasty  scrawl !  ! 

22. 
GOOD  NANTE  ! 

The  story  of  the  portrait  is  becoming  quite 
tedious.  If  only  you  had  not  been  so  conscientious, 
and  had  sent  the  portrait  at  once  to  Hartels,  in  the 
devil's  name  !  If  they  wish  to  have  it  lithographed  in 
Berlin,  it's  all  the  same  to  me  in  the  end  ;  only  I  request 
that  a  proof-print  be  sent  to  you,  so  that  you  may  keep 
a  control  over  the  likeness,  which  no  one,  I  should  say, 
can  do  as  well  as  you.  But  if,  in  accordance  with  my 
last  letter,  you  have  given  over  the  matter  to  Hanf- 
stangl,  then  he  may  keep  it,  and  we  will  stick  to  what 
I  settled  in  that  letter :  I  pay  Hanfstangl,  and  X. 
receives  the  commission.  Why  do  -Hartels  drag  on  so 
long  ? —  So  you  are  now  provided  with  instructions  for 
every  event  !  Do  as  you  like,  only  take  care  that  the 
phiz  soon  comes  out.  You  have  not  yet  sent  us  the 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  487 

lithograph  of  yourself !     Do't ! — I   have  terrible  work 
with  my  music  sheets  ! 
Excuse  haste  !     Good-bye  ! 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  May  yd,  '53. 

I  can  write  no  more  to  Hartels  about  the  portrait 
affair. 

23- 
DEAR  FELLOW  ! 

Many  thanks  for  your  letter  !  I  can't  see  any 
good  reason  why  I  should  not  send  you  just  a  scrap 
of  answer  ! — You  are  right,  quite  right !  Yet  I  must 
excuse  Schindelmeisser  somewhat :  for  months  back 
he  had  repeatedly  begged  me  for  designs  for  the  mise 
en  scene ;  I  always  put  him  off,  and  at  last  left  him  quite 
in  the  lurch.  The  fault  was  with  me  :  I  naturally 
thought  nothing  of  the  whole  tale.  So  you  ought  to 
have  devoted  a  good  part  of  your  reproaches  really 
to  me,  and  not  to  him.  Moreover,  I  am  convinced 
that  Sch.,  ever  since  he  undertook  the  Tannhduser, 
has  meant  honourably  with  me ;  that  notwithstanding 
this  he  has  so  carried  out  his  task  that  I  should  pro- 
bably shake  my  head  considerably  at  the  results,  I  can 
also  well  imagine ;  still,  it  is  not  ill-will  and  intentional 
superficiality,  but  insufficient  knowledge  of  the  matter, 
combined  with  the  depravity  into  which  nowadays 
every  routinier  falls,  after  long  practice  in  the  ordinary 
rut  of  our  operas.  The  light  would  only  break  in 
upon  him  and  such  as  him,  if  they  were  once  to  see 
the  opera  given  under  my  direction :  with  them,  their 
blindness  is  their  ruin  !  ! 


488  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Do  you  then  think  after  all,  dear  Heine  (and  dear 
Fischer,  to  whom  I  also  address  these  lines  ?),  that  I  set 
any  value  on  the  present  performances  in  Germany  ? 
that  I  persuade  myself  that  they  answer  in  any  way  to 
my  demands?  Ah  !  great  heavens  ! — I  certainly  thought 
I  might  do  some  good  by  my  Guide ;  but — as  I  have 
already  told  you  both — only  in  the  sense  that,  at  least, 
something  of  it  would  catch  hold.  But  that  this  Guide 
could  only  be  an  embalming  of  my  own  intentions,  that 
it  could  thus  be  only  a  protest  uttered  in  advance 
against  the  bad  performances  that  we  might  expect,— 
I  felt  all  this  quite  clearly  when  I  wrote  it ;  and  that 
gave  me,  too,  the  despairing  mood  in  which  I  became 
so  inconsiderate  toward  friends.  It  was  a  true  cry 
of  anguish,  was  "  this  guide"  Well,  well !  the  thing  is 
taking  its  own  course,  in  my  despite ;  but  I  can  only 
say  that  I  am  glad  to  see  nothing  of  these  performances. 
Now,  when  I  am  in  a  better  humour  toward  this  or 
that  success,  toward  this  or  that  conductor,  it  is  merely 
because  I  fancy  I  see  at  least  a  little  good-will  displayed 
(as,  for  instance,  was  not  the  case  with  R.  of  Leipzig, 
for  which  reason  I  have  no  intention  of  giving  him  the 
Lohengrin  /).  Then,  also,  I  am  more  indifferent  toward 
smaller  places :  with  more  important  places,  such  as 
Berlin,  I  am  (as  you  have  seen)  more  outspoken. 

There  is  one  young  conductor  who  gives  me  great 
pleasure :  that  is  Schoneck,  formerly  of  Freiburg,  now 
of  Posen.  I  have  learnt  to  know  him  thoroughly  here 
in  Zurich,  and  have  trained  him  in  my  method ;  he 
has  a  very  good  young  tenor  with  him,  about  whom  I 
have  heard  wonderful  things.  I  am  naturally  anxious 
that  he,  who  has  given  at  Posen  the  Tannhduser  five 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  489 

times  within  nine  days,  should  let  his  light  shine  else- 
where than  under  these  bushels;  and  therefore  /,  as 
well  as  Liszt,  have  agreed  that  he  and  his  company 
shall  give  Tannhduser  for  a  couple  of  months  at  KrolVs 
Theatre  in  Berlin.  The  only  thing  I  had  to  find  fault 
with  was  the  smallness  of  the  theatre  ;  but  during  the 
coming  summer  it  is  to  be  rebuilt,  enlarged,  and  speci- 
ally arranged  for  the  Tannhduser.  Even  should  Liszt 
manage  to  get  called  to  Berlin  later  on,  through  the 
Princess  of  Prussia,  for  the  conducting  of  our  two 
operas, — this  forerunner  does  not  the  least  harm,  and 
puts  a  lot  of  money  into  my  pocket. — 

Talking  of  much  money,  brings  Fischer  to  my  mind, 
who  wanted  an,  advance  from  me  :  I  thought  then  that 
matters  would  be  arranged  through  Genee  in  Dantzig. 
Up  to  now  nothing  has  come  of  it,  and  I  have  already 
been  mean  enough  to  refer  a  couple  of  new  orders  to 
myself  for  payment,  as  for  the  moment  I  am  cleaned 
out.  The  Theatre-Jew  M.  in  Berlin  will  make  an 
advance  for  Genee,  so  as  to  get  the  score  at  once  from 
Fischer,  to  whom  he  will  send  as  quittance  the  postal 
slip  recording  the  payment,  whereupon  the  score  is  to 
be  sent  to  him.  Again,  director  Hein  of  Stettin  applies 
to  me  ;  I  have  also  directed  him  to  send  the  honorarium 
to  me,  and  only  to  deliver  the  postal  slip  to  Fischer, 
by  way  of  receipt.  Now  Uncle  Tom — I  meant  to  say, 
brother  Fischer — will  make  an  astonished  grimace, 
because  nothing  falls  to  him  ;  in  return  I  assure  him, 
that  within  the  space  of  a  month  he  shall  be  with  me 
in  Paradise,  i.e.,  he  shall  have  money,  notwithstand- 
ing. But  he  must  keep  scores  in  readiness  ;  Konigsberg 
threatens,  and  Darmstadt  likewise  (for  Schindelmeisser 


49Q  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

will  enter  upon  his  duties  as  Capellmeister  there  on 
the  1st  of  August). — It  would  be  as  well  if  you,  too, 
could  have  scenarium  and  sketches  ready  for  Tannhduser; 
for  that  purpose  I  think  to  be  able  to  provide  you  with 
money  for  expenses,  likewise  within  the  space  of  a 
month  ;  so  don't  let  the  little  painter  stop  making  his 
little  figures. — 

H artels  wrote  to  me  lately  about  the  portrait,  and 
thereupon  I  wrote  to  them  about  the  sixty  copies. 
They  also  advised  me  that  their  pianoforte  arrange- 
ment (without  words)  of  Lohengrin,  for  two  and  four 
hands,  had  now  appeared.  However  absurd  are  such 
pianoforte  arrangements  without  words  of  my  operas, 
yet  I  must  confess  that  for  the  publisher  they  have  a 
great  value.  The  regular  herd  of  pianoforte-playing 
diletantti  naturally  wants  nothing  but  this  sort  of  score, 
which,  after  all,  suits  their  silly  purpose  better  than 
the  vocal  score.  Here,  for  example,  there  are  endless 
demands  for  the  pianoforte  score  without  words  of  the 
Dutchman  and  Tannhauscr.  Of  the  latter,  at  least,  X. 
really  ought  to  get  such  a  score  made  and  published ; 
it  is  a  real  treachery  to  the  business  if  this  is  not 
done,  and  I  cannot  help  my  creditors  if  they  neglect 
such  a  source.  X.  ought  to  ask  Liszt  as  to  who 
should  arrange  the  pianoforte  score.  Ah  me !  if  men 
only  knew  how  to  help  themselves ! — 

Once  more :  my  musical  festival  was  splendid,  and 
gave  me  great  hopes  of  accomplishing  wonderful  things 
here  in  the  future.  One  day  I  shall  certainly  myself 
give  performances  here  of  my  operas,  and  also  of  the 
Nibelungen;  but  naturally  only  under  quite  exceptional 
circumstances.  For  that  I  shall  require  (ut  semper) 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  491 

the  services  of  Wilhelm.  Within  three  or  four  years 
Wilm  must  really  come  to  Switzerland  :  write  him 
that  to  Japan  ! 

Now,  enough  chattering  for  to-day ;  more  another 
time  !  Greetings  right  and  left  from 

Your 
R.  W. 

June  lofh,  '53. 

Lately  I  received  an  engagement  proposal  from 
Bremen :  ah  !  how  pleased  I  was  ! — How  have  things 
gone  off  at  Cassel  ?  I  fancy  wretchedly !  No  one 
sends  news.  Does  F-ff-fischer  know  nothing  ?  Is  his 
Wilhelm  already  in  Drrresden  ? 

(Veronika — Amerika  !) 

"  Als  zullendes  Kind  zog  ich  Dich  auf  "  ;  Mime. 

If  you  could  only  succeed  in  bringing  T.  some  com- 
mon sense  !  Good  gracious  !  there  was  no  intention  of 
any  slight  on  him ;  when  he  begins  to  be  sensible,  I 
will  write  to  him.  He  is  really  the  man  I  should  like 
best  for  Lohengrin. 

So  K-k-kietz  has  become  an  irreclaimable  Plastiker  ? 
I  am  glad  of  it !  but  he  must  really  write  to  me  :  gr-r-reet 
him  heartily  !  (I  am  thinking  too  much  about  Japan, 
and  that's  why  I  st-st-stutter  ! ) 

Here  the  selections  from  Lohengrin  pleased  best. 
The  Prelude  impresses  me  very  much. 

24. 

Your  silence,  dear  Heinemannel,  almost  makes 
me  melancholy.  Either  you  are  very  ill,  or  you  are 
angry  with  me.  Say,  have  you  taken  anything  amiss  ?' 


49 2  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Perhaps  my  last  remarks  on  your  communication 
respecting  the  scenarium  for  Lohengrin  ?  This  I  must 
almost  believe,  especially  as  the  scenic  indications  have 
been  entirely  omitted  from  the  little  work  that  has 
appeared.  Certainly  that  annoyed  you  with  me,  and 
you  thought,  "If  he  knows  better,  let  him  do  it  himself." 
If  I  were  right  ?  Then  you  were  wrong! — Well,  I  will 
say  no  more  about  it,  for  perhaps  I  am  altogether  in 
the  wrong  with  regard  to  the  whole  suspicion,  so  truly 
painful  as  it  is  to  me ! — Please  inform  me  soon  ! — 

I  have  now  received  the  scenarium  :  you  have  done 
your  work  well — yes,  in  many  ways  too  well !  I  owe 
you  so  many  thanks  for  it,  that  I  should  feel  quite 
inconsolable  if  I  had  to  think  that — in  reward  for  your 
friendly  trouble — I  had  hurt  your  feelings  on  this  occa- 
sion !  Do  set  my  mind  at  rest  about  it  ! — 

Everything — as  I  said — answers  perfectly  to  my 
wish  :  where  you  have  differed  somewhat  from  me  in 
the  scenery — as  in  the  lay  of  the  river  in  the  First  Act 
—I  fully  acknowledge  that  your  corrections  are  right. 
I  should  only  have  liked,  in  the  Castle  courtyard,  the 
balcony  and  stairs  from  the  Kemenate  down  to  the 
Palace  brought  somewhat  more  into  view,  which  could 
have  been  very  well  done  by  shifting  the  palace-tower 
more  to  one  side — to  the  right.  But  perhaps  that  could 
not  be  easily  arranged  otherwise — especially  on  small 
stages. — In  short,  the  whole  is  so  good,  that  I  must  offer 
you  my  heartiest  thanks  for  it  in  every  respect ! ! — 

I  need  scarcely  tell  you,  moreover,  how  unhappy  I 
now  feel  at  not  being  able  to  produce  the  work  myself. 
To  bring  me  into  this  deep  discontent  about  the  whole 
thing,  it  hardly  needed  the  latest  Leipzig  outrage  on 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  495. 

my  Lohengrin.  As  far  as  that  goes,  Fischer  will  laugh 
his  fill  at  me,  and  will  contrast  my  scruples  regarding 
Dresden  with  my  Leipzig  levity.  I  must  just  put  up 
with  it,  if  he  does  not  understand  the  state  of  matters. 
I  only  consented  to  the  performance  in  Leipzig  on 
condition  that  Liszt  should  represent  me — if  not  as  con- 
ductor, still  as  superintendent  of  the  whole  production ; 
and  he  was  to  have  the  right  to  stop  it,  if  he  saw  there 
was  no  reasonable  expectation  of  a  favourable  result. 
Now,  first  do  I  learn  that  R.  quite  set  up  his  back  against 
this,  and  that  the  whole  thing  would  long  ago  have 
come  to  a  rupture  had  it  not  been  that  Hartels  effected 
a  prudent  compromise  through  Liszt's  complaisance, 
whereby  the  latter  was  only  to  come  occasionally  to 
the  general  rehearsals,  and  perhaps  give  a  few  friendly 
hints  to  R.  Now,  no  single  notice  seems  to  have  been 
given  to  Liszt  of  the  rehearsals,  and  he  has  had  the 
somewhat  too  diplomatic  weakness  of  leaving  the  affair 
to  take  its  own  course — for  good  or  bad. 

But  that  was  certainly  not  my  intention,  and  so  the 
performance  has  taken  place  entirely  against  my  will. 
I  shall  take  other  precautions  for  the  future. — Fischer, 
besides,  is  quite  out  of  temper  with  me  :  I  have  corre- 
sponded with  him  all  the  summer  on  mere  matters  of 
business,  and  it  were  high  time  to  let  him  have  some 
little  news  as  friend.  But  I  tell  him  and  you,  that  of 
late  I  have  written  to  almost  no  one,  so  up  to  my 
ears  was  I  with  composition.  Since  I  returned  from 
Paris — beginning  of  November — I  have  written  the 
music  to  Rheingold ;  I  got  so  enthusiastic  over  it,  that 
until  it  was  finished  I  had  neither  ears  nor  eyes  for 
anything  else. — Give  heartiest  greetings  to  my  dear 


494  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

old  friend,  and  make  my  excuses  also  to  his  Wilhelm ; 
in  the  matter  of  letters  one  must  not  be  too  hard  on  me 
just  now,  when  I  have  really  a  fearful  amount  of  corre- 
spondence. But  this  very  month  I  will  write  to  our 
plump  friend  :  if  he  wishes  meanwhile  to  heap  coals 
of  fire  upon  my  head,  let  him  revise  a  score  of  the 
Flying  Dutchman,  and  send  it  to  the  management  at 
Wiesbaden.  Tannhduser  must  also  be  kept  ready  : 
orders  are  again  drawing  on. — I  shall  not  begin  a  fresh 
sheet  until  I  get  news  again  from  thee  and  you.  Very 
soon !  And  now  best  greetings  to  yours,  and  keep 
in  kind  remembrance 

Your 
R.  W. 

ZURICH,  January  igth,  '54. 

25. 

MY  DEAR,  GOOD  HEINE  ! 

If  I  were  not  really  driven  to  it,  I  certainly 
should  not  get  so  far  as  writing  to  you  !  Excuse  me 
all  protestations  about  being  so  continually  plagued 
with  letter-writing  and  bothers  of  the  kind,  that  I 
absolutely  find  no  time  for  anything  else. 

I  really  believe  that  I  shall  soon  be  able  to  see  you 
and  Mamma  Heine  again  :  then  we  will  set  everything 
properly  to  rights. 

Meanwhile,  for  to-day  a  piece  of  business,  for  which 
I  must  take  refuge  in  you. — Our  Tannhduser  costume- 
and  scenery-sketches  are  wanted.  Desplechin  no  longer 
possesses  the  latter,  and  for  the  former  we  wish  to  have 
recourse  to  your  work.  So  be  good  enough  to  see  to 
the  French  sketches  (if  only  in  copy)  being  sent  here 
again  :  if  things  were  really  more  successful  in  Berlin 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  495 

than  in  Dresden,  you  might  perhaps  manage  to  get  the 
sketches  from  there.  The  Tournament-hall  is  said  to 
have  turned  out  very  fine  in  Berlin  :  I  certainly  do  not 
believe  it  answers  to  my  scenic  demands  (for  I  cannot 
consent  to  give  up  the  open  arch  with  the  stairway  and 
tower) — still  it  probably  contains  interesting  sugges- 
tions of  which  we  could  make  use. — The  costume- 
pictures  you  have  entirely  in  your  power.  So  send 
everything  as  soon  as  possible,  for  Tannhduser  is  to 
be  taken  in  hand  at  once.  Make  an  account  of  the 
whole  expenses,  and  draw  a  bill  for  the  amount,  or 
simply  charge  it  to  the  management :  it  will  be  sent 
you  by  return.  Address  the  whole  to 

Mr.  Alphonse  Rqyer, 
Directeur  de  V Academic  Imperiale  de  Musique, 

3,  Rue  Drouot,  Pan's. 

Now,  do  this  very  nicely,  right  quickly,  and  let  me 
know  beforehand  when  you  hope  to  send  it  off. 

It  must  surely  seem  a  good  joke  to  you,  that  your 
costume-designs  should  be  wanted  in  Paris  as  models  ! 

I  regret  not  to  be  able  to  do  anything  for  my  health 
this  summer :  I  cannot  get  away  from  Paris  for  a  single 
day.  Heaven  knows  how  I  shall  feel  this  winter  !  My 
wife  has  gone  off  to  the  baths  at  Soden,  as  P.  wished. 
Altogether,  she  feels  fairly  well,  although  my  recent  life- 
adventures  have  not  been  exactly  of  a  kind  to  make  me 
good-tempered  and  patient.  I  am  now  heavy,  very 
heavy  at  heart,  and  the  only  thing  which  at  all  enlivens 
me  is,  that  from  a  distance  I  am  always  looked  upon  as 
one  who  does  not  know  which  way  to  turn  for  good- 
fortune  and  prosperity. 


496  RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS 

Now,  let  me  have  good  news  from  you  :  greetings  to 
Mamma  and  Maria,  and  the  Emperor  of  Japan  into  the 
bargain ! 

Farewell,  dear  old  friend  ! 

Your 

RICHARD  WAGNER. 
PARIS,  July  loth,  '60  (16,  RUE  NEWTON,  BARRIERE  DE  L'ETOILE). 

26. 

MY  DEAR  OLD  HEINEMANNEL  ! 

Thanks  for  the  friendly  sign  of  life,  and  be 
forbearing  if  I  only  reply  to  you  with  a  like  sign  of  life. 
I  still  intend  to  pay  a  more  agreeable  visit  soon  to  my 
old  home,  friends,  and  connections  ;  but  for  that  I  must 
wait  until  a  time  when  many  things  shall  have  been 
definitely,  publicly  settled,  and  till  I  no  longer  have 
reason  to  fear  exhaustion  through  constant  narration 
and  answering  of  questions.  My  future  and  final 
welfare  depends  upon  whether  I  can  bring  my  manner 
of  life,  and  consequently  my  whole  disposition,  to  a 
state  of  greater  quietude  and  freedom  from  excitement. 
Talking,  letter-writing,  business  complications — these 
are  my  life-foes :  undisturbed,  peaceful  creation  and 
work  are,  on  the  contrary,  my  life's  preservers.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  I  have  only  wrested  to  myself  this 
benefit  under  the  escort  of  unspeakable  torments  :  my 
settling  in' Lucerne,  where  I  find  a  home  in  the  most 
absolute  stillness  and  retirement,  has  this  for  aim. 
Here  I  always  am  only  "  en  visite"  and  I  run  off  the 
moment  the  "  entertainment"  and  "distraction  "  become 
too  much  for  me. 


TO    FERDINAND    HEINE.  497 

It  would  be  fine  if  you  came  here  for  the  Meister- 
singer;  I  would  willingly  pay  the  cost  of  this  expe- 
dition. Within  the  next  few  days  it  will,  at  all 
events,  be  definitely  settled  whether  we  are  to 
have  the  performance  in  May,  or  not  till  the 
autumn  :  this  depends  upon  the  hitherto  very  clum- 
sily negotiated  acquisition  of  the  Dresden  tenor, 
Bachmann,  who  is  certainly  not  my  ideal  ;  but, 
when  all  is  said  and  done,  is  still  the  most  pro- 
mising substitute  for  the  singer  I  should  wish  for 
Walther. 

You  are  altogether  in  the  wrong  to  write  me  so 
many  details  about  a  lady  singer  whom  you  wish  to 
recommend  to  me  :  you  assume  on  my  side  an  in- 
terest in  these  affairs  which  certainly  shows  your 
good  opinion  of  my  tenacity.  I  have  nothing  what- 
ever to  do  with  the  theatre,  and  this  is  the  funda- 
mental basis  of  the  peace  which  I  have  conquered. 
So  long  as  my  nerves  hold  out,  1  am  present  at 
important  rehearsals  of  my  works ;  but  I  never  attend 
a  performance,  and  by  the  time  it  occurs  I  am  al- 
ready back  among  my  mountains.  In  order,  how- 
ever, to  appear  a  wee  bit  mannerly  to  you,  you  good 
old  fellow,  I  may  tell  you,  with  regard  to  Frln. 
Blume,  that  we  here  have  also  heard  nothing  but  good 
of  her.  But  really  the  more  she  answers  to  your 
description  of  her  the  less  do  we  need  her ;  for  we 
already  possess  in  a  certain  Frln.  Mallinger  an  artist 
endowed  with  great  talent,  while  a  general  utility 
hack,  with  staying  power,  would  be  a  most  desirable 
acquisition. — 

Greetings    to    Mamma    Heine,    and    thank    her    for 

32 


498     RICHARD  WAGNER'S  LETTERS. 

the    delicate    herrings    and    potatoes   in    Campo    vac- 
chino  ! — 

Good-bye  !  dear  old  fellow  !  Come  to  the  Meister- 
singer.  In  any  case,  I  will  come  soon  and  visit  the 
one-chime-of-bells  coasts.* 

Your  true  friend, 

RICH.  WAGNER. 

MUNICH,  March  28th,  '68. 

*  Kiister  =  also  "  Sacristans." 


THE   END. 


INDEX. 


IN  this  index  an  attempt  has  been  made  to  classify  the  more  important  passages, 
to  trace  some  of  the  bare  initials  by  following  the  clue  afforded  through 
the  occasional  appearance  of  corresponding  proper  names  in  full,  and  also 
to  group  the  indefinite  allusions  to  "X."  under  different  headings  sug- 
gested by  the  subject-matter.  For  this  endeavour  to  throw  a  little  light 
on  obscure  hints,  recourse  has  been  made  to  nothing  beyond  internal 
evidence  and  that  offered  by  the  Wagner-Liszt  Correspondence  and  C. 
F.  Glasenapp's  Richard  Wagner's  Lebcn  u.  Wirken. 

In  consequence  of  the  large  number  of  references  noted,  the  following  plan  has 
been  adopted  in  cases  of  more  frequent  occurrence — viz.,  the  cyphers 
denoting  tens  and  hundreds  are  not  reiterated  each  time  those  numerals 
recur  under  the  same  heading,  excepting  where  the  indexed  numbers 
run  into  a  fresh  line  of  type  ;  thus  12, 16,  81,  84,  105,  no,  154,  231,  276,  are 
printed  :  12,  6,  81,  4,  105,  10,  54,  231,  76. — W.  A.  E. 


A. 

A.  (R.  W.'s  brother-in-law,  a  pub- 
lisher  at   Leipzig),   96,   102, 

135,  475- 

Abend  Zeitung,  436,  445. 
Abstract  Music  and  Poetry,  23. 
"Achilles'  (a  contemplated  drama), 

35,  52. 

Actor,"  "  If  I  had  been  an,  22. 
"  Adolph  von  Nassau  "  (  ?  play  by 

W.  Fischer,  junior),  379,  383. 
Albert  (R.  W.'s  brother),  343. 
Allgemeine  Zeitung,  29. 
Alps,  The,  i,  35,  63,  88,  131,  81, 

235-  42,  5.  87,  354,  463,  76. 
America,  Invitation  to,  406. 
Amnesty,  I,  3,  132,  42,  283,  392, 

403,  14,  6-7,  26,  76. 
Animals,  love  of  (see  also  Peps 

and  Papo),  94,  246,  404. 
Apologies   to   friends,    102,    207, 

365,  412,  438. 


Apt,   Anton   (Prague),  375,   378, 

415,  425- 

Art,  172,  209,  13,  338,  45,  463-5. 
„      Privilege   and    Prerogative, 

61-3. 

Art-criticism,  21,  237,  252. 
Art-movement,  15. 
Artists,  20,  27. 
Artists,    Special  training   of,    for 

R.  W.'s  dramas,  49,  395. 
Augsburger  Allgemeine  Zeititng, 

76,  163. 

B. 

B.,  202. 

Bachmann  (tenor),  497. 
Baden,  Grand  Duke  of,  417. 
Bakunin,  3. 
Ballenstedt- Festival-Programme, 

268. 

Ballet,  1 8. 
Basle  Festival,  234,  241. 


5oo 


INDEX. 


Baumgartner,      Wilhelm     (pfte.- 

teacher),  32,  153,  164. 
Baumgartner's  Songs,  152,  181-4. 
Bayer  (lady  singer),  199. 
Beethoven,  53,  171,  231. 

,,  Interpretation  of,  184 

et  seq.,  196. 
Beethoven's   Symphonies,    I,  27, 

95,  152,  75,  87,  91,  3,  243,  92, 

396,  401,  75,  83. 
Belloni    (Liszt's    Secretary),    33, 

38,  272-4 
Berlioz,  33,  449. 
Berlioz'  Cellini,  231. 
Biedenfeld,  88. 
Bischoff/priginator  of  cry :  "  Mu- 

^Pfef'the  Future  "),  102,  295. 
Blechschmidt  (Dresden  lawyer), 

343- 

Bonaparte,  L.,  172. 
Bote  u.  Bock  (Berlin),  113. 
Bohm  ('cellist),  194,  221. 
Breitkopf  u.  Hartel,  99,    107,    21, 

135.45,  74,296,421,9,  82,4, 

493  et  passim. 
Brendel,  47,  69,  93,   160-1,  5,  7, 

219  et  passim. 
Brendel's     Journal      (see      also 

Z.  f.  M.),  98,  133,  46,  5°,  252. 
Brockhaus,  H.,  149,  177,  357. 
Busybodies,  124,  29,  77. 
"  Butterbrodt,"  116. 
Biirck,  August,  276. 
Byron,  176. 

C. 

Cause,  The,  88,  253,  338. 
Celebrity,  3,  171,  404,  463. 
Censorship,  The,    148,   192,  323, 

435- 

Chaff,  Humour,  and  Playful  Allu- 
sions,  5,   7,   42,  5,  83,   149, 


Chaff,  etc. — continued.    / 

158,  80,  233,  40,  57,  70,  5, 

298,  334,  40,  50,  64,  70,  4,  6r 

377,9,80,  90,8,  407,  8,9,11, 

419,  20,  2,  3,  7,  53,  61,  3,  5-6, 

469,  8 1,  5,  9-90,  i. 
Children,  158,  72,  4,  97,  219,  29, 

233,  4°,  50,  67,  461,  7,  9,  76, 

485. 

Chorus,  Unaccompanied,  313. 
Cities  v.  Towns,  299,  427. 
"Civilised  Barbarism,"  I,  82,  161. 
Collaboration,  2,  19. 
Communistic  mode  of  life,  2,  55» 

210,  278,  475. 
Conducting  (see  also  Zurich),  179, 

184  et  seq.,  396,  400,  2,  17,  90. 
Constitutionalists,  63,  66. 
Conventionalism,   224,  353,   400, 

487. 

Co-operation,  15,  83. 
Copyright  in   three  early  operas 

for  France,  419-23. 
Crazy,"  "  We  are  both,  54. 
Creditors,  2,  44,  163,  203,  92,  369, 

380,92,7,9,404-5,  18,21,90. 
Critics,  Hostile,  14,  9,  5J,  102,  60, 

234-7,  72,  400. 
Culture,  82,  464. 
"Cuts,"  67,   loo,    13,   267,  316-7, 

319,  24-6,  49,  422. 

D. 

D.,  E.,  1 66,  202,  24-5,  38,  413. 
Despleschin  (Paris),  494. 
Deutsche  Museum,  243. 
Devrient,  Edward,  91,   173,    199, 

374,  414,  482. 
Difficulties  in  R.  W.'s  operas,  308, 

3",  4,  9,  95,  4H- 
Dingelstedt  (Munich),  76,  389. 
Doctors,  134,  200,  2,  79,  80,  477. 


INDEX. 


Drama,  The,  190,  208,  301. 
Drawing,   R.    W.'s    own,    247-8, 

479- 

Dresden  Catastrophe,  3, 4,  30,  334. 
„        Dream  about,  409. 
„        Orchestra,  I,  3,  4,  6,  7, 

1 6,  43,  55,  60,  193,  346, 

382. 
„        Theatre     Officials,     113, 

328,  45,  52,  6,  60-1. 
„        Treasury,   Debt  to,  349, 

416-7. 
,,        Wagner's    opinion    and 

recollections  of,  178,  97, 

281,  98-9,  328,  34,  54, 

382,417,  55,  76. 
Drinking,  146. 
Due  d'Orleans,  450. 

E. 

E.,  Fraulein  (Elberti),43,  354, 478. 
Edele  (Berne  Musikdirector),  373. 
Eisold,  4. 
Elsa   Marie    (Uhlig's   child),   46, 

130,  2,  5,  7,  49. 
Emilie.    See  Ritter. 
Empress  of  Russia,  232. 
Engelmann,  10. 
Enjoyment,  True,  82,  280. 
Ernst  (violinist),  211,  219. 
Europa,  88. 

F. 

Faust,  Compositions  for  Goethe's, 

392. 

Faust  Overture,  284,  300-1. 
Feen,  Die,  392. 
Fetis  pere  (critic),  235,  268. 
Feuerbach  (Philosopher),  25,  46, 

57,  69,  119,  152. 
"  Figaro,"  121,  37,  49,  207,  260. 


Fischer,  4,  22,  34,  40,  90,  101,  13, 

I32.  49,  75,  239,  9i,  3OI> 

443,  5,  8,  51,  4,  65-6,  85, 

488,  93,  et  passim. 

„      as  Theatre-Manager,  356, 

379,  §3,  5,  407,  ii,  26. 
Fischer's  nephew,  359,  361. 

„          son,    Wilhelm,    363,    7, 

374,  6,  9,  83,  491. 
„          proposed  visit  to  R.W., 

415,  6,  26,  7. 
Flotow,  394 ;  Flotow's  Indra,  370 ; 

Martha,  4,  343,  395. 
FLYING  DUTCHMAN,  220, 301, 455-7. 
Negotiations,  etc.,  for ;  Bres- 
lau  and  Schwerin,  302,  4, 
363-7,  480;  Carlsruhe,  413  ; 
Mainz,    388;    Wiesbaden, 
378,  82,  494. 

Performances  at :  Berlin,  481 ; 
Weimar,  173,  211 ;  Zurich, 
173,5,9,  94,  206,  15,9-22, 
226,  356-62. 

Production  at  Dresden,  Ori- 
ginal, 360. 
Revision  of  Score,  etc.,  192, 

2 1 1-2,  6-8,  26,44,  363-7. 
Success  in  Cassel,  Dresden, 

and  Riga,  457. 

Form  and  Contents,  145,  208. 
Formes  (Tenor),  239. 
Franck,  Albert  (Paris  bookseller), 

22,  8,  44. 

„       Dr.  H.  (critic),  127. 
Franz,  Robert,  257,  68,  73,  82,  90, 

414 ;  Franz's  Songs,  292. 
Free  entree,  68. 
Freedom,  8,  18,  336,  417. 
Freizchiitz,  Der  (in   Paris),  449- 

450. 

French  Language,  etc.,  2,  26,  37, 
42,  463. 


502 


INDEX. 


Friends,  I,  56,  249,  334,  54,  463, 

466,  70-1,  5. 
Friendship   of   opposites,    336-9, 

4I3- 

Fromanns,  The,  478. 
Future,  Drama  of  the,  93  ;  Public 

of,  465;    Work  of,  53,  334, 

464,  8. 
Fiirstenau  (Dresden),  4,    13,    1 6, 

407. 

G. 

G.  480  (?Genast). 

G.  459(?Gutzko\vorG.  Reissiger). 

Garcia,  343. 

Gazette  Musicale,  235,  453. 

Gegenwart,  The  critic  of,  160,  167. 

Genee  (Dantzig  Din),  37*,  373, 

489. 

"  Genius,"  Article  on,  21. 
German  v.  French,   35,  41,   329, 

457- 

German  v.  Italian  music,  209,  457. 
Germany,  21,  354,  86,  92,  410,  52, 

476. 

Glasbrenner,  180,  214. 
"  Good-bye,  Author !  "  52, 99, 102, 

341. 

„          Capellmeister  !  "  223. 
Graban,  Dr.,  200. 
Greek  Art,  25,  160. 
Grenzboten,  165,  80,  91,  7. 
Gumprecht,  Otto,  243,  292. 
Gutzkow   (Dresden    playwright), 
202,  459. 

H. 

H.  (?  Heine),  4,  9. 
H.  (Prague  composer),  343,  345. 
H.  "aus  Zurich,"  141,  173. 
Hafis  (Persian  philosopher),  265, 
268,  73,  85. 


Hagen,  276. 

Hagenbusch  (Dep.  Town  Clerk, 

Zurich),  33. 
Hahn,  Dr.,  157,  229. 
Halevy,  450;    Lajuive,  307,  318, 

435- 

Hanfstangl,  483-6. 
Hans  Heiling,  379. 
Hanssen  (Brussels  Dir.),  89. 
Harmony,  213,  230-1. 
Hahnel    (Dresden    Scene-Mana- 
ger), 16,  233,  9,  41-2,  343,  60. 
Handel,  333. 

Hartel's.    See  Breitkopf  u.  Hartel. 
"  Heaven  and  Hell,"  16. 
Heidenreich,  126. 
Heine  (Poet),  284,  455-6. 

„  F.,  12,  3,  22,  9,  31,2,  4,  41, 
66,  241,  51,  62,  6,  91, 
309,  14,  30,  5,  41,  4, 
362,  85,  403,  9,  1 6  et 
passim. 
„  „  Eye-Malady,  376,  80,  I, 

458,  9,  7°,  3-4,  85. 
,       „  Proposed  visit  to  R.  W., 

415.  58. 
„     Marie  (F.  H.'s  daughter), 

330,  452,  66,  81,  96. 
„     Wilhelm  (F.  H.'s  son),  352, 
359,  62,  75,  461-3,  8,  76, 
481,  5,  91,  6  et  passim. 
Heines,   Emigration  of  the,  406, 

462,  6. 
Herwegh,    152,   80,  218,  26,  32, 

274,  9,  89  et  passim. 
Heubner,  3,  30 
Hiller,  Ferdinand,  77,  211. 
Hirzel,  Frau,  71. 
i    Hitzschold,  230. 
Hoffmann  (Pub.  Stuttgart),  73. 
„          (Frankfort        Theatre 
Dir.),  264,  296. 


INDEX. 


503 


Honoraria  for  operas  and  writings, 
20,  8,  9,  31,  41,  4, 
66,  91,  100,  2,  13,  21, 
126,44,  204, 15,8,43, 
248-52,  6-8, 6 1, 70, 96, 
35i,  7i,  3.  6,409,89 
et  passim. 
„  Compounding,  405, 

424-5- 
Horack,  4. 
House,  Wish  for  one  of  his  own, 

136, 249,  65,  72,  93,  7, 414,  85. 
Huguenots,  The,  315,  8,  95,  435. 
Humour.     See  Chaff, 
v.  Hiilsen  (Berlin),  258,  62,  6,  71, 

283. 

I. 

Illness,  37,  407,  8,  n,  71. 
Individualism  v.  Universalism,  53. 
Iphigenia  in  Aulis,  W.'s  revision 

of,  287,  93,  6,  388,  411. 
"  Irony,"  44,  277,  474. 
Italy,  245,  381,  428. 

J. 

Jessonda,  323. 

Jesus  of  Nazareth,  2. 

Jews,  The,  47,  69,  97,   192,  222, 

398. 
Johanna    (R.    W.'s    niece),    266, 

275,  6,  82. 
"Jokes,    Make,"    54,    223-4,    37, 

275- 
Journal  contemplated   "  For  Art 

and  Life,"  17,  20-1,  30. 
Journal  des  De'bats,  76. 

K. 

K.     See  Ritters. 

K.  (Dresden  Conductor,  ?  Krebs), 
291,  412.     See  also  X. 


K.,  L.,  208,  10,  3,  24. 
Keller,  Gottfried  (Poet),  183. 
Keys,"  "  Individuality  of,  230-1. 
Kietz  (Painter),  41,  151,  201,  331, 

433.  6,  9,  45,  52-3,  91. 
King  of  Prussia,  460. 
King  of  Saxony,   30,   60-2,    113, 

142,  291  (?),  403,  12,  4,  7,  60. 
Kirchner  (Leipzig  Print  Agent), 

153- 

Koch,  458. 
Kolatschek     (see    also    Monats- 

schrift),  54,  70,  3,  5,  85,  91. 
Kori  (Pub.),  66. 

Kr.  (?  Krieten),  369,  78,  88,  415. 
Kramer  (Dusseldorf),  252. 
Krebs    (Dresden    Capellmeister) 

(see  also  K.),  36,  41,  102,  346. 
Krieten,  466. 
Kruger,  1 1 6. 

Kummer,  57,  220,  7-8,  85. 
Kiihtmann  (Pub.  of  Monatsschrift), 

92. 
Kustner,  458. 

L. 

L.  =  v.  Luttichau,  4,  76,  101,  3, 
176,  97,  240,  59,81,  91,3,  6, 
328,  48-50,  4,  64,  6,  70, 41 1-2, 
438,  42,  60  et  passim. 

L.,  F,  34. 

L.,  Fr.  v.,  30. 

Lachner  (Munich),  282,  299 ; 
(Mannheim)  387. 

Laube  (Author),  91,  434. 

"  Leathern  Armour,"  58,  65. 

Lehrs  (Paris  friend),  279. 

Leipziger  Illustrirte  Zeitung,  96, 
99,  125,  482. 

"Letter  about  R.  Wagner,"  134. 

Letter-violation,  Fear  of,  37,  71, 
90,  107,  36,  41. 


504 


INDEX. 


Letter-writing,    266,    77,  82,  94, 
384,  404,  8,  42,  67,  82,  93, 

494,  6. 

Lewy  (or  Leury),  314,  448,  50,  3. 
Liebesverbot,  Das,  392. 
Lies  v.  Truth,  75. 
Life.     See  Philosophy  of. 
Lindemann,  201,  16,  79-80. 
Lipinski  (violinist),  240. 
Liszt,  2,  33,  8,  49,  56,  76,  89,  115, 
124-5,31,41,  57,69,  255, 
257,  72,  84,  300,  35,  416, 
475,  89,  93  et  passim. 
„      at  Dresden,  416;  jealous, 
391  ;  visits  R.  W.,  376, 
403,  10,  II. 

LITERARY  WORKS,  R.  W.'s, — 
In  general,    R.   W.    on   his 
Works,  7,  14,  9,  50,  4,  69, 
99,     102,    47,    223,     353, 
464-5,  76. 
Address  to  my  Friends.     See 

below,  Mittheilung. 
Art  and  Climate,  29,  36,  42. 
Art  and  Revolution,  2,  7,  15, 

1 60,  192,  464. 

Art-Work  of  the  Future,    7, 
1 1 -5,  20,  i,  5-6,  8,  30,  5, 
74,  91,  464,  7. 
Autobiography,  248. 
Coriolanus  Overture,  179,  84, 

189,  96. 
Dresden  National  Theatre,  57 

et  seq.,  66,  71-2,  4,  93. 
Ein   Theater  in  Zurich,   102, 

475- 

Eroica,  179,  189. 
Goethe-Stiftung,   150,    61,    5, 

1 68,  73. 
Guide     to    Performance     of 

Tannhduser,  255-9,  73,  5, 

291,  365,  8,  89,  480,  8. 


Literary  Works, — continued. 

Judenthum  in  der  Musik,  47, 

69,  161,  3,  472. 
Mittheilung  (referred  to  also 
as  "Preface  to  three  Opera- 
Poems  ")  91,  112,7,35,41, 
145,8,  56,  64-5,  8,  73,  211, 

236,  353,  478. 

Ninth  Symphony,  153,  276. 

Opera  and  Drama  (see  also 
Wesen  d.  O.,  below),  84, 
87,  90,  2,  4,  6,  109,  30,  5, 
145,  8,  80,  224,  30,  8,  345, 
353,  475  ;  payment  for,  91, 

102,  5. 

"Preface."  See  Mittheiliuig, 
above. 

Tannhduser  Overture,  1 95, 
206,  299. 

Wesen  der  Oper  (Embryo 
of  O.  u.  D.},  74,  80. 

Wibelungen,  6,  IO,  30,  468. 

Works    contemplated  :    Ar- 
tists   of    the     Future,     7, 
464 ;  The  Monumental,  52 ; 
Redemption  of  Genius,  52  ; 
Unlovely  Civilization,  52. 
Loans,  f,  46,  248,  267. 
LOHENGRIN, — 

Article  by  Liszt  on,  76, 91, 6, 9. 

Article  by  Uhlig  on,  73,  5,  7, 

85- 

Composition  of,  460. 

Contemplated  for  Paris,  34, 

Longing  to  hear  Music  of, 
154,  171,  272,  426,  492. 

Negotiations,  etc.,  for  per- 
formance at : — Berlin,  283  ; 
Brussels,  89,  159, 167,  348  ; 
Hamburg,  49 ;  Leipzig,  49, 
112,  352;  Schwerin,  194, 
268.  ~ 


INDEX. 


505 


Lohengrin, —  continued. 

Opinion  of,  R.  W.'s,  3-4,  1 66, 

460,  491. 
Production  at  Leipzig,  493 ; 

Weimar,  49,  67,  472,  480. 
Prohibition  of  Dresden  per- 

mance,  W.'s,  119,  49,  291, 

299,  352.4,6,411,93. 
Rejection  at  Dresden,  412. 
Sketches  for  (Heine's),  376, 

380,  479-82,  5,  92. 
Success  at  Weimar,  67,  76 ; 

Wiesbaden,  376. 
Unlicensed    Performance   at 

Bremen,  408  (see  491). 

LOHENGRIN-SCORES. — 

Autograph,  101. 

Dresden  cop}',  76, 101,348-50. 
Full  Score,  to  be  engraved 
by  B.  M.  H.,  101,  51,  4,  67, 
366,  475- 

Pianoforte  Score,  4,   II,  99- 

ioi/7,  33,63,  74,257,475; 
without  words,  490. 
London,  389,  395-402,  405. 

„        R.  W.'s  operas  thought 
of  for,  389,  396,  402. 
Loneliness,  16,  32,  51. 
Longevity,  45,  82,  288. 
Love  of  Humanity,  9,  54,  463. 
LQwe  (Zurich  Theat.  Dir.),  217, 

221,  356,  368. 

Lucerne,  496. 

Lumpaci  vagabitndus,  26,  35. 

v.  Luttichau.      See  above,  L. 

M. 

M.  (Dresden  Merchant),  41. 
M.  (Successor  to  X.  in  Wagner's 

publishing     business),     415, 

417-8,  23-4,  9. 
Mallinger,  Frln.  (singer),  497. 


Mangold's  opera  (on  same  subject 
as  Tannhaitser),  IO2. 

Marie.    See  Heine. 

Marschner's  operas,  209. 

Mehner  (copyist),  367,  376,  429. 

Meistersinger,  Die,  497. 

Mendelssohn,  190-1. 

Meser  (publisher  of  Tannhduser, 
etc. ;  see  also  X.,  Music- 
seller),  126,  163,  352. 

Meyerbeer,  33,  9,  47,  69,  96,  102, 
235,395. 

Michaelson  (Berlin  theatrical 
agent),  254,  64,  86,  373,  485, 
489. 

Michalesi,  41. 

Milk-diet,  279. 

Misprints,  15,  20,  36,  41,  90. 

Mitterwurzer  (Dresden  singer), 
36i. 

Monatsschrift,  Deutsche  (see  also 
Kolatschek),  29,  36,  42,  51,  4, 
72,  88,  92. 

Money-difficulties,  16,  24,  31,  91, 
99,  126,78,204,  35,  57,67,  9, 
274,  339,  80,  4,  97,  404-5,  48, 
484,  9. 

Money-help,  2,  9,  17,  22,  46,  99, 
1 1 8,  26,44,  78,  205,  335,  42, 

475- 

Money-needs  for  carrying  on  art- 
work, 19,  140,  144,  249. 

Moods — bitter,  98, 207,  267;  buoy- 
ant, 8,  144,  240,  5,  336 ;  calm, 
50  ;  cheerful,  2,  22,  147,  358; 
deprecatory,  100,  207,  421, 
451,  4  ;  despondent,  169,  243, 
249,  385.  446-7  ;  interjectory, 
121,7;  irritable,  43,  177,253, 
401  ;  melancholy,  16,  34,  7, 
93,  396 ;  solicitous,  277-9, 
3°i,  473- 


506 


INDEX. 


Moritz,  Mdme.  (singer,  Rockel's 
sister),ii3,232,9,5i,  95,351. 

Moscheles,  131. 

Mosevius,  287,  294. 

Motive,  Thematic,  166. 

Mozart's  Don  Juan,  10;  R.  W.'s 

revision  of,  195. 
„        Symphonies,  197. 

Music,  26,  84,  187,  209,  31,  8,  68; 
instrumental,  301;  "school- 
master's," 271-2. 

Musical  Journals,  97-8,  135,  161, 
224. 

Musicians,  "  Absolute,"   53,    185, 

244- 

Muhling  (Frankfort  theatre),  264. 
Muller  (Dresden  Music-Din),  43, 

276,  457T  67. 

,,      Alex.  (Music-teacher,  Zu- 
rich), 5,  10,  33,  164,  203. 
„      Lieut.  H.,  121,2,  98,  201, 
477- 

N. 

Natalie.     See  Planer. 
National,  2,  7,  90,  237. 
Nature,  Beauties  of,  123,  31,  235, 

242,  45- 
Nervous  Exhaustion,    28,    9,    57, 

146,   64,   70,   201,   7,    19,  43, 

253,  8,  60,  77,  80,  8,  471,  6, 

496-7. 
New  Year's   Prologue   (music  by 

R.  W.),  392. 
Newspapers,  15. 
Ney,  The  (soprano),  396,  8,  9,  403. 

NlBELUNGEN,  DER  RlNG  DES,-- 

Drama  as  a  whole  (see  also 
Siegfried's  Death  and  The- 
atre), 284-5,  382,  394-5. 
478. 

First  idea  of,  127,  36,  8-9,  44. 


Nibelungen,  etc., — continued. 

Method    of  instrumentation 

390- 

Pianoforte  score,  390. 
Poem  of,  176,  207,  14,35.77, 
297  ;  private  issue  of,  234, 
246,  52,  479,  82. 
Rheingold:  poem,  286;  scor- 
ing, 382,  3,  6,  7,  493. 
Siegfried:  poem,  304  ;  music, 

404,  414. 

Walkiire :  poem,  229,  33,  40 ; 
scoring,  386,  9,  92,  404,  10; 
home  performance,  410. 
Noack,  385. 
Norway,  456. 
Notices.     See  Press. 
"  Now  do  likewise,"  68. 

O. 

Oberlander,  Martin  (Saxon  Mini- 
ster of  Interior),  59,  66. 

Offence  to  Friends,  207,  365,  71, 
381,3,90,411,  85,  91-3. 

Offence  to  theatre  officials,  59, 
62,  74,  258,  271,  459. 

Offer   my   works,"    "  I    will  not, 

49- 
Ollivier,   F.  (Liszt's  son-in-law), 

419,  21. 

Onslow's  overture,  401. 

"  One-toned  chime,"  465,  497. 

Open  air,  13,  229,  232. 

Opera,  209,  220,  236,  456-7. 

Opera-public,  76,   106,    140,  220, 

351; 

Operas,"  "  I  shall  be  compelled 
to  pass  judgment  on 
my  early,  80. 

„  Order  of  performance  of, 
as  desired  by  R.  W., 
352. 


INDEX. 


SO/ 


Operas,  R.  W.'s  repugnance  to 
performances  of  his,  125, 
386,  94,  420,  2,  80,  8, 

493- 
Orell  and   Fiitzli    (Zurich   firm), 

44,  153- 
Otto  (Composer,   ?  Gumprecht), 

77- 

P. 

P.  (of  Dresden,  ?  Richard  Pohl), 
17,  22,  4,  369,  99,  415,  82,  5, 

495- 

P.,  Madame,  117,  35,  43,  8. 
Pabst's  opera,  127. 
Palestrina's     Stabat      Mater     as 

revised     by     R.     W.,     385, 

410. 
Papo  (R.  W.'s  parrot),  93-4,  462, 

474- 

Paris,  2,  1 6,  8,  20,  4,  8,  31-5, 
38-41,  4,  90,  272,  4,  307, 
342,  90,  419-23.  33.  52, 
462,  95. 

„  Opera-plan,  2,  3,  7-8,  24, 
28,  34,  7,  334,  40,  463, 
470-2. 

„      Conservatoire,  16,  38. 
Patriotism,  German,  21. 
Pecuniary  success,   249,    78,    90, 

379,  80,  2,  406,  1 8,  95. 
Peps  (R.  W.'s  dog),  13,  48,  246, 

257,  75,  354,  404,  62,  76. 
"  Permits "  for  scores  (Zwangs- 
pdsse),   258,  62,  4,  8,  70,  5, 
371,  8  et  passim. 
Philharmonic    Society    Concerts, 

389,  396-402. 
Philistines,  43,   56,    1/2,   225,  46, 

296,  338,  406,  61. 
Philosophy  and  Ethics,  8,  53,  8l, 
246,  84,  5. 


Philosophy  of  Life,  I,  8,  26,  37,. 
45,  57,  82,  95,  172,  249,  77, 
288-90,  8,  341,  461-2,  5-6,  9, 

474,  8,  85- 

Pianoforte  arrangements  and 
scores,  3,  132,  54,  63, 
202,  26,  428,  90. 

„         strumming,  42. 
Pichon  (Zurich  Barytone),  361. 
Fillet  (Dir.  of  Paris  Opera),  449-50. 
Piris  (actress),  446. 
Planers,  The  (Parents  of  R.  W.'s 

first  wife),  204,  ^74,  83,  371, 

375,  8,  86. 
Planer,  Natalie  (Sister  of  ditto), 

12,  71,  143- 

Plastic  Art,  25-6,  50-1. 
Poetry,  84,  230. 

Polemics,  96,  8,  102,  223-4,  298. 
Police,  3,  12,  39,  193,  375,  399. 
Politics,  15,  21,  75,  157,  344,  5,  54. 
Portraits  of  R.  W.,  41,   151,   3, 

208,  10,  9,  372,  5.  483-6,  90. 
Portrait  of  wife,  436. 
Postal  Receipts.    See  "  Permits.'' 
Posthumous  Fame,  284. 
Potpourris,  154,  227. 
Practice  and  Theory,  58,  210,  24, 

231. 
Prager,   Ferdinand    (of  London), 

393,  4i4. 
Prejudice,  50. 
"  Present  state  of  things,"  65,  75, 

125- 
Press.     See  Critics. 

„      notices,  14,  200,  30,  48,  87, 

29°,  5,  7  et  passim. 
Prince  Albert,  402. 

„         „         (  ?  of  Saxony),  426. 
„       Eugen,  351. 
,,       of  Prussia,  370. 
Princess,  A.,  5. 


INDEX. 


Princess  of  Prussia,  283,  489. 
Professors  of  Art,  etc.  (see  also 

Musicians),  14. 
Programme-Music,  188. 
Propaganda,  208. 
Prophete,  etc.,  33,  9,  395,  471. 
Prophetess,    The  (Die  Sarazenin, 

drama  by  R.  W.),  379. 
Publishers'  predilections,  91. 
Publishing     business.     See     X., 

Music-seller. 

*    ft 

Queen    of    England,    The,    399, 

401-2. 
Quotations  and  plagiarism,  92. 

R. 
R.     See  Reissiger,  Ritters,  and 

Rockel. 
Rausse    (writer  on  water-cure), 

"5.  2I»  31-  98,200,47,  68. 
Reform  (see  also  Literary  Works, 

Dresden  Theatre,  and  Theatre 

in  Zurich),  64,  213,  225. 
Reimann,  251. 
Reinecke,  77. 
Reissiger    (Dresden   Capellmeis- 

ter),  175,231,40,  67,91,309, 

310,  9,  24,  33,  8,  47,  54,  79, 

412,  36,  8,  42,  53. 
Reissiger's     opera     (Guitarrerd), 

310,  9,  438,  42,  6,  7-8. 
Religion,"  "A  new,  14. 
Reminiscences  of  youth,  436,  441. 
Renown  (see  also  Celebrity),  8. 
Repertoire,  Choice  of,  80,  395. 
Reports,  False,   141,  203,   19,  31, 

400-1,  18. 
Republic  in  France,  19,  157,  176. 

340. 
Rest,  427. 


Retirement   and    quiet,   414,    18, 

496-7. 

Revolution  in  Art,  19-20. 
Rheinische  Musikzeitung,  97. 
Rheumatism,  25. 
Riccius,  103,  199,  223. 
RIENZI,  375,  8,  415,  60. 

Autograph  Score,  425. 
Choir,  Grouping  of,  309,  1 1-2, 

318,  20-4. 

Dresden  Acceptance,  437. 
„         Production,  308-32, 
416,     25,     33-48, 

451-5- 

„         Revival,  424,  428. 
Negotiations,  etc.,  for:  Berlin, 
460;  Breslau,  424;  Frank- 
fort,  424 ;    Hanover,   419, 
424 ;  Paris,  425. 
Nights    with     Fischer     and 
Heine  in  Dresden,  410, 412. 
Pantomime  and  Ballet  in,  312, 

318,  22-3,  5,  444- 
Playing  length,  314-7. 
Religious  obstacles  to,  434-5. 
Sketches  for  scenery, etc.,  439. 
Rietz    (Leipzig    conductor ;    see 
also    Lohengrin    and    Tann- 
hauser),  194,  204,  II,  61,  74, 
296,  488. 
Rigi,  The,  48. 
Risse     (Dresden     opera-singer), 

320,  360. 

Ritters,  The,  28,  36,  55,  124,  6,  9, 
140,  4,  99,  205  et  passim. 
„       Emilie,  130,  i,  2,  43,  75. 
„       Frau,  22,  46,  70,  99,  160, 

178,  475  et  passim. 
„      Julie,  115. 

„  Karl,  13,  22,  3,  7,  8,  36, 
41,51,6,  71,  102,  15,33, 
147,  74  et  passim. 


INDEX. 


509- 


Roger  (French  tenor),  150,  274. 

Rossini,  69. 

Royer,  Alphonse  (Paris),  495. 

Rockel,  August  (Dresden  Musik- 
Dir.,  and  editor  of  Volksblatt), 
3,  4,  104,  13,  9,  29,  52,  65, 
200,  8,  63,  5,  70,  414  et 
passim. 

Ruhlemann,  135,  59,  75. 

S. 

S,  55- 

Sarcasm,  32,  9-40,  61  et  seq.,  75, 

93.  I7*i  329,  344,404- 
Sattler,  136. 
Schaffer,  Julius  (Lohengrin  article 

in  Xette  Berliner  Musik  Zei- 

tung),  230,  6 1,  82,  5. 
Schindelmeisser    (formerly  rival 

candidate  for  post  of  Dresden 

Capellmeister),    222,  41,  75, 

291,  5,  48/,  9- 

Schirmer  (Dresden  lawyer),  369. 

Schladebach  (a  persistently  hos- 
tile Dresden  critic  (Vide  C. 
F.  Glasenapp's  Life  ofR.  IV.), 
197. 

Schlegel  (contralto),  460. 

Schlesinger  (Pub.  of  Gazette  Musi- 
cale  de  Paris),  449-50. 

Schlick,  5. 

Schlurk,  284. 

Schmidt,  Gustav  (Frankfort  Ca- 
pellmeister), 206,  242. 

Schmidt,  Dr.  (formerly  Leipzig 
Theatre  Dir.),  216. 

Schnorr  (painter),  276. 

Scholl,  161. 

Schoneck  (Musik  -  Dir.-  Zurich, 
etc.),  175,  217,  357,  488-9. 

Schroder-Devrient,  Mme.,  320,  9, 
434,  6,  8,  42-3,  5,  6-8. 


Schulze,  Dr.  Fl.,  104,  1 19,  227,  303. 

Schumann,  54,  102,  150,  212,  232. 

Scores,  Sale-complications  (see 
also  X.),  113-4,  18-9,  24. 

Seidelmann,  251,  299. 

Semper,  Gottfried  (architect  of 
Dresden  Theatre,  in  exile), 
29,  30. 

Shelley,  176. 

Siegfried  (Siegfried's  Death),  2, 
7>  S6>  93,  297,  342 ;  contem- 
plated for  Weimar,  49,  52, 
67,  125,  31,  40-1  4-5,  8: 
honorarium  for,  46,  67,  105 
(see  also  Nibelungen). 

Siegfried  (Young  Siegfried),  Io6r 
1 10,  297,  353  ;  music  for,  115, 
472,  5- 

Siegfried,  Special  rough  Theatre 
for,  at  Zurich  (see  also- 
Theatre),  68,  223. 

Signale,  116. 

Silver-plate,  Present  of,  160,  168. 

Singing,  R.  W.'s,  22,  410. 

Sleeplessness,  29,  223,  80,  8,  304. 

Snuff,  378,  462. 

Songs,   Modern,    181   et  seq.,  213,. 

273- 

Spohr,  363,  458. 

Spontini,  10. 

Spring.     See  Winter. 

Spyri  (Zurich  advocate),  32. 

Steche  (Leipzig  lawyer),  275. 

Stockar-Escher,  Clementine  (por- 
trait painter),  484,  6. 

Stoicism,  208. 

Stoger,  J.  A.  (Prague  Dir.),  256. 

Sturm  £  Koppe  (Leipzig  Theat- 
rical Agents),  194,  211,  5. 

Sulzer,  Jacob  (Zurich  Town- 
clerk),  32,  46,  248,  67,  75. 

Swiss  citizenship,  36,  86,  142. 


5io 


INDEX. 


Switzerland,  4,  36,  56,   198,  335, 

340,  2,  96,  476. 
•"  Sympathy,"  169. 

T. 

T.     See  Tichatschek. 
TANNHAUSER, — 

Dresden  production,  original, 
129,  236,  70,  8 1, 
298,  460. 

„  revival,  179,  259,65, 
267,  81,  7,  90,  4,  9. 
Negotiations,  etc.,  for : — 
Ballenstedt,  378,  80;  Basle, 
413;  Berlin,  239,  50,  3, 
258,  62-3,  6-7,  83,  370; 
489,  95  ;  Breslau,  239,  25 1 ; 
Brunswick,  379 ;  Carls- 
ruhe,  374,  6;  Cassel,  367, 
374,  49i;  Coburg,  383; 
Cologne,  268,  70,  5,  376; 
Dantzig,  254,  371,  489; 
Darmstadt,  374,  9,  489; 
Dusseldorf,  252,  58,  70; 
Frankfort,  206,  40,  2,  64, 
270,  96,  35 i  J  Freiburg, 
292,  371,  481;  Gratz,  375; 
Hamburg,  373,  4,  7 ;  Han- 
over, 254,  379,  387;  K6- 
nigsberg,  254,  373,  489; 
Leipzig,  194,  203,  II,  5, 
239,  4i,  4,  7,  55.  61,  7,  9, 

273,  5,  83,  93i  6 ;  Magde- 
burg,    376 ;      Mannheim, 
387;     Munich,    239,    295, 
389  ;  Olmiitz,  379 ;   Paris, 

274,  420,  6,  94-5  ;  Prague, 
252 ;    Ravel,    376 ;    Riga, 
254,  70, 86  ;  Schwerin,  113,    j 
351;     Stettin,    254,    489;    ! 
Stuttgart,  379;  Wiesbaden, 
222,  239;  Wurzburg,  256, 8. 


Tannhauser, — continued. 

Score,    Engraving  of,  429. 
„      Pianoforte,     153,     63, 

380,  92,  3,  415,  23. 
„      Revision  of,  and  new 
ending,  113,  20,  8,  34, 
214,  42,  53,  8l. 
Sketches    for    scenery    and 
costumes,  239,  42,  4,  373, 
481,  7,  90,  94-5. 
Success,  299 ;  at : — Breslau, 
281,    295 ;     Cassel,     379 ; 
Frankfort,  368 ;  Freiburg, 
482  ;  Munich,  404 ;  Posen, 
488;    Schwerin,    179,    94, 
268,     356;     Weimar,     76 
(mutilations,  134) ;  Wies- 
baden, 295. 
Text-books,  262-3. 
Unlicensed  performance   at- 
tempted at  Pesth,  382-3. 
TANNHAUSER  OVERTURE, — 

Performances  in  London,  401-2. 
„  „  Munich,  299- 

300. 

„  „  Zurich,    179, 

205-6,  358. 

„  proposed  in  Paris, 
33,  5,  8,  40,  5, 
89,  98,  340. 

Theatre,  Special,  for  the  Ring  (see 
also  Siegfried  and  Zurich), 
67-8,  127,  40,  382,  94-5,  406. 
Theatres,  German,  etc.,  60,  80, 
127,  40,  75,  356>  82,  94,  414, 
459,  88. 

Theatrical  managers,  78,  209,  487. 

Theory.     See  Practice. 

Tichatschek  (Dresden  tenor),  22, 

78,   194,  320,  9,  32, 

348,  57,  82,411,  4, 

428, 38, 43  et passim. 


INDEX. 


Tichatschek  as  "  Lohengrin,"  409, 

491. 

Tieck  (Poet),  276. 
Tietze  (memberof  Dresden  band), 

5- 

Times,  The,  401. 
"Tone-poetry,"  185,  301. 
Tragedy,  25. 
Translations  of  R.  W.'s  works,  19, 

28,  35,  9,  76,  89,  274,  422. 
Travel,  28,  204,   18,  35,  42-9,  77, 

283,  7,  380. 
"Trifles,"  147. 
Tristan  H.  Isolde,  414,  5,  8. 

U. 
Uhlig,  Theodor,  344,  7,  53,  7,  467 

e  t  passim. 

„      reproached,  43. 
„      Wagner's  intellectual  in- 
debtedness to,  86. 
Uhlig's  ill-health,  55,  86,  116,  20, 

162,  250,  77,  89-90,  7. 
„       last    illness,    301-4,    63  ; 

death,  365. 
„       musical  compositions,282, 

292. 
,,       Promotion  to   leadership 

of  band,  158,  62,  77. 
„       Promotion  to  music-direc- 
torship, 197,  240. 
„       Reserve,  former,  16. 
„       Visit  to  R.  W.,  88,   109, 

III,  58,  2IO,  53. 

„       Visit  to  Weimar,  71. 
„       Writings,  10,  5,   52-3,  70, 
72,  5,  88,  92,  7,  104  (ar- 
ticle  on    Tannhdnser), 
121,  7,  80,  231,  7-8,  52. 
Union  Musicale  (Paris),  38,  40. 
"Uniform,"  Dresden,  63,  157-8, 
466. 


V. 

Vaez,  Gustave  (French  librettist), 

1 8. 
Verse,  213. 

„      alliterative,  224,  230. 
Vestri  (Dresden  opera-singer),  246. 
Vieuxtemps,  272,  436. 
"  Villa  Rienzi/'  88. 

W. 

W.  "enthusiast,"  224. 

W.  See  Councillor  Winkler  and 
Wirsing. 

"War  to  the  knife,"  14. 

Water-cure,  74,  80,  6,  9,  93,  115, 
122,  30,  3,  42,  6,  201-2,  9,  So, 
353.  78,  478  et  passim. 

Wachter  (Dresden  opera-singer), 
320,  360. 

Weariness,  16. 

Weber,  J.  J.  (Pub.  of  Opera  u. 
Drama),  66,  74,  87,  91,  5,  6, 
101,  5,  30,  475  et  passim. 

v.  Weber,  Caroline  (widow  of  the 
composer),  449-50. 

"  Widows'  Committee,"  43,  44. 

Wife,  R.  W.'s  (ne'e  Minna  Planer;, 
3,6,  8,24,  31,48,  86,94,131, 
134,  42,  72,  204,  69,  74,  330, 
304-5,  40,  86,  462-3,  70,  95  et 
passim. 

»    illness  of.  379,  403,  27,  52. 
Wigand   (Publisher),  2,    7,    10-3, 

15,  20,  2,  8-31,  41,  4,  52,  66, 

91,  467  et  passim. 
Wiland  der  Schmied,  18,  35,  7,  41, 

1 80. 

Wilhelm.    See  Fischer  and  Heine. 
Will,"  "  Force  of,  19. 
Wille  (Hamburg),  287. 
Winkler,    Councillor   (Dresden), 

3io,  30,  433-7,  41,  6,  9,  53. 


512 


INDEX. 


Winter,  spring,  and  summer,  16, 
68,  136, 62,204, 7, 14, 344,  478. 

Wirsing,  Rudolf  (Theatrical  Di- 
rector, Leipzig),  241,  7,  51, 
261,  7,  75,  96. 

Wwman,  17,  44,  198,  205,  7,  10,  4, 
220,  9,  43,  73,  300. 

Work,  6,  1 6,  23,  68,  87,  9,  90, 
in,  47,  68,  201,  29,  56,  66, 
279,  94,  340,  86,  404,  63,  8, 
493,  6  et  passim. 

Wolfel  (Dresden  copyist),  1 13,  54, 
167,  78,  254,  350,  87,  90,  9, 
407  et  passim. 

Wolsunga-Saga,  137,  40,  50,  62. 

X. 

X.  (author),   134,  6,  60- 1,  3,  213, 

241,  466. 
X.  (benefactor,  ?  Frau  Ritter),  9, 

17,  8,  24. 
X.  (Krebs  or  v.  Luttichau  ?),  162, 

270,  284,  459-60. 
X.    (Music-Director    at    Zurich  : 

Hans  v.  Billow  ?),69,  74,  78. 
X.  (Music-Publisher  at  Dresden  ; 

Meser  ?),  113,  9,  24,  62,  202, 

241,59,62,92,346,53,69,77-8, 

380,  92-4,  9,  404-7,    19,    82, 


X.,  etc, — continued. 

490  (see  also  M.);  X:'s  death, 
408. 

Y. 

Youth  and  age,  14,  224,  416. 

Z. 

Zeitung  (or  Ncue  Zeitschriff)  fur 
Musik    (see    also    Brendel), 
22,  47,  52,  4,  66,  70,  6,  92, 
13°.  5,  6°»  4,  5,  84,  90,  268, 
292,  7,  472  et  passim. 
Zigesar  (Weimar  Intendant),  67. 
Zurich,  "  Dear,"  399,  472. 

„       Friends,  32,  44,  48,  56. 
„       Idea  of  special  Theatre  at 
(see      also      Siegfried, 
etc.),  102,  410,  72,  90. 
„       Offer  to  R.  W.  of  post  of 
Theatre-Conductor,  78. 
„       Orchestra  at,  27,  45,  69, 
72,  4,  9,  152,  75,  9,  93, 
475,  83,  6. 

„       Wagner  Concerts  at,  155, 
156,   67,    71,    3,  9,  94, 
335,  340,  74,  490. 
,,       Wagner's  efforts  for  the 
Theatre  at,  79. 


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